IT WAS the morning the Panthers had a brief date with the Lions.

The cream of island football and netball were at the airport awaiting trips to the UK.

For the GFC footballers it was a now routine Saturday morning, but for the women this was altogether special, a historic first away match under the new island ‘brand’ of Panthers.

And a satisfactory day it turned out to be for Gill Queripel’s netballers at the Surrey Sports Park in Guildford.

They returned to the island that evening with a draw and a narrow defeat from two very meaningful games against the strong Clan club.