THE best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry and, in sport, it can be in the cruellest of fashion.

Even at the season’s end, the care and attention to detail that goes into every away day is present on this, Bournemouth Rugby Club’s final journey of the campaign.

But even the most avid of box-tickers could not have accounted for the way this 31-23 defeat would pan out for Lions.

Doug Warren, 72, pulls up to the familiar surroundings of Chapel Gate armed with his plastic box full of papers. Team sheets, replacement cards and the all-important statistics are at the ready.

Dutiful Doug empties the boot of a car which typically matches the Lions’ club colours before helping Gavin Fisher to hoist mounds of equipment on to the coach.

Signs emblazoned with ‘Bournemouth RFC Team Coach’ are carefully placed in the front and back windows with the club stalwart of some 37 years circling the bus to make sure they are positioned perfectly.

The coach fills up and sets off with plenty of deliberation about how to get the air conditioning working and, by the time the final passengers are collected in Upton, attention turns to the league table and the three places Bournemouth could climb with a last-day victory.

The conversation drifts back to the home match with Taunton where Lions were left clinging to victory. “Wasn’t the score 28 something?” enquires a voice a couple of rows back. Ex-team manager Doug’s eyes spring up from perusing the Daily Telegraph, bolting round to confirm “It was 30-27”. Indeed it was.

The desire for meticulous preparation extends to the management as director of rugby David Dunn gets down to business, whipping out the iPad to study a treasure trove of statistics on the day’s opponents.

“Look at that. They start pretty slowly at home,” says Dunn, pointing to the fact that less than a third of Taunton’s home tries have been scored in the first half of matches this season. “You can learn a lot about your own team on here as well,” he adds.

Numbers studied and danger men noted, Lions arrive with Doug making his way to the pre- match meal, while Dunn and Fisher prepare for the warm-up.

Pints and pasties are devoured by the upbeat travelling support while taking in the rugby sevens on the TV. Not a word is uttered about the FA Cup final to follow later in the day.

Three o’clock arrives and Lions deal with some early pressure to hold Taunton to their customary slow start. Leading 11-7 at the break, Dunn’s men bag their second and third tries to take a 16-point advantage into the final 20 minutes.

The visitors are in cruise control until a wind-assisted error from Scott Chislett hands Titans a lifeline. Lions quickly ship another try before seeing George Drake’s dive for number four chalked off for an apparent knock-on. One bonus point lost.

It proves pivotal as Taunton’s Gary Kingdom, whose kicking made a mockery of the swirling Hyde Park wind, adds a penalty to put the hosts in front before converting an added-time try with the last kick of the match. Victory and another bonus point lost.

Doug puts on his best smile for the post-match cheese and biscuits, but slips away to confess: “I don’t think I have been this disappointed with a result for a long time.”

Few can fathom how Lions left Somerset empty handed but players and fans alike dust themselves down with a few more pints in the bar. Doug’s doting wife Jo turns her thoughts to selling tickets for the club dinner, while the players’ end-of-season party begins in earnest.

Lions will be back and ready to roll in National Two South next season. Dwelling on defeat is not in this club’s nature.

Lions: Pollard, Fitch, Edwards (Chislett, h-t), Stewart, Connolly, Drake, Hardcastle, Carrel (Spikings, 66), Wilford, Manning, Peart, Forrest (Firetto, 63), Hart, Vaughan-Edwards, Booth (Grace, 70). Unused sub: Veneroso.