Lions push Eagles all the way
Another new ground and another nonstop performance from the Lions as they made a full time Eagles side fight all the way to gain victory in a game that the score line did not reflect the efforts of John Duffys side.
From the very first whistle the Lions where on the attack and Rhodri Lloyd made a telling break right up the middle of the pitch and QLT had to bring him down ten metres from the try line on the last tackle. But it got better for the Lions two minutes later when Eagles were on the attack on half way and Chris Atkin managed to intercept a stray pass and race half the length of the field to score under the posts and add the conversion points and he almost created another try on nine minutes but ran out of support a few metres from the line and was tackled.
It took Eagles a while to get their act together and they eventually broke the Lions defence when Ben Blackmore scored tight in the right corner from an overlap with Michael Knowles adding a good touchline conversion to level the scores. The Lions had two more chances on the Eagles right side defence when Andy Thornley and Shaun Robinson both went close but last ditch tackles held them out.
George Tyson put the home side into the lead on twenty-seven minutes after some pressure on the line but this time Knowles could not convert but once again the Lions were soon up the other end thanks to a Ben White interception and QLT brought him down ten metres from the line and from the play the ball Connor Dwyer was held up on the last tackle.
Eagles then added two more tries in a three minute period just before the break with Scott Wheeldon and QLT both scoring by the posts and Knowles added both conversions to give the score line a rather false look not reflecting the Lions efforts and they had another just before the half time hooter when Lloyd almost scored but was brought back for a double movement.
Eagles increased the lead just after the break when Menzie Yere went over in the left corner and Robinson was unlucky not to knock him into touch as he went for the corner but Knowles could not convert this one.
The Lions hit back on forty-nine minutes when a good attack finished with Robinson diving in at the corner and Atkin landed a super conversion from the touchline but again Eagles hit back when Corey Aston finished off two moves with tries under the posts and again Knowles converted both to increase the lead.
The Swinton side where still giving Mark Astons side plenty of headaches and they quickly added two tries with Greg Scott scoring in the left corner after a good pass by Macaulley Hallett and then Hallett himself opened his Lions try scoring account but Atkin could not add the conversions but one was close bouncing off the left hand upright. Blackmore then added another try for Eagles with ten minutes left and the conversion was missed as Knowles slipped on his backside as he ran in to kick the ball.
More pressure on the Eagles line from the Lions saw Scott add his second try in the left corner and Atkin landed the touchline conversion but in the dying seconds Eagles captain Mitch Stringer scored under the posts and Aston converted as the final hooter sounded.
Teams:
Lions :-
20.Mike Butt, 2.Shaun Robinson, 23.Rhodri Lloyd, 4.Macaulley Hallett, 5.Greg Scott,
6.Ben White, 1.Chris Atkin, 8.Mike Morrison, 27.Liam Hood, 10.Jordan Hand, 12.Andy Thornley, 11.Connor Dwyer, 13. Rob Lever. SUBS:- 26.Carl Forster, 17.Stephen Nash, 19.Josh Barlow, 16.Ben Austin.
Tries: Atkin (3), Robinson (49), Scott (64, 78), Hallett (67).
Goals: Atkin 3/5
Eagles:– 1.Quentin Laulu Togagae, 2.Rob Worrincy, 3.Menzie Yere, 4.George Tyson, 5.Ben Blackmore, 6.Cory Aston, 21. Dave Hewitt, 8. Steve Thorpe, 9. Keal Carlile, 10.Mitch Stringer, 11.Michael Knowles, 12.Duane Straugheir, 13.Matt James. SUBS:- 24.Rhys Jacks, 15.Scott Wheeldon, 16.Adam Neal, 17.Mark Mexico
Tries: Blackmore (14,70), Tyson (27), Wheeldon (33), Laulu Togagae (35),
Yere (44), Aston (51,59), Stringer (80).
Goals: Knowles 5/8
Aston 1/1
Referee: Mike Woodhead
Pens: 6-6
Att: 508
H-T: 22-6
