JACK Metters spoke of the relief in the Bournemouth camp after they staged a superb fightback to keep their National Two South survival hopes alive.

Trailing 21-7 at home to Launceston after half an hour, Lions did not concede a single point in the final 50 minutes of the game and hit back to win 25-21.

Karim Lynch’s try with seven minutes remaining secured victory for Budge Pountney’s men - a second triumph in three games - meaning that avoiding the drop remains mathematically possible.

Ten points from the boot of Metters played no small part in the success and the fly-half admitted afterwards that victory had given the Chapel Gate club a significant boost.

He told the Daily Echo: “We struggled to break them down in the first half but in the second half we put the ball wide and were able to break through.

“It was important to get the first points in the second half. We knew we could come back and it was a big relief when the final whistle went.

“A few people said afterwards that when we were down 21-7 they never thought we would come back, but we didn’t concede in the second half.

“It was testament to our defence. We stuck together as a team and came through in the end.”

Lions were under huge pressure within 20 minutes of kick-off on Saturday.

Launceston stormed ahead courtesy of a converted try and after Tommy Booth was sin-binned, the visitors took advantage as another converted try saw them go 14-0 up.

Back came the hosts when Wyn Roberts streaked away for an interception effort and Metters added the extras.

However, Launceston crossed the whitewash once more and the resulting conversion put them 21-7 up just before the half hour.

Metters reduced the advantage courtesy of penalties either side of the interval and in the 44th minute, Andrew Spikings crossed the whitewash.

A successful conversion attempt by Metters meant Lions trailed 21-20 and a Launceston missed penalty helped their cause further.

In the closing stages, Lynch popped up to score the game’s final try, handing the home side victory.

Bournemouth have four fixtures remaining of the league campaign and are currently 14 points from safety.

Metters added: “The games we have left are all winnable and if other results go our way we might be OK. I still think we can pull through.”