Despite a solid performance the Lions suffered their first defeat in ten games as Oldham completed a season double which secured them the League Leaders Shield.
With away victories for both Keighley and York City Knights the Lions lie in fourth spot in the league ladder but will look to secure victory over South Wales Scorpions in the last league game and if results go right elsewhere they could move back into third spot the guarantee a home tie in the play offs.
Oldham took the lead on nine minutes when Richard Lepori crossed on the left but Lewis Palfrey was unable to convert but four minutes they were further ahead when Steve Roper won the race for a kick to score by the posts and Palfrey converted. The Lions had plenty of chances in the first half but the just couldn’t finish them off with firstly Andy Thornley going over chasing a kick by the posts on twenty-seven minutes but Lepori won the race to get his hand on the ball first and force a goal line drop out and then a good passing movement to the left ended when Ian Mort couldn’t control the final pass and the ball went to ground.
Another try was cancelled out just before the break when Shaun Robinson got in at the corner but the final pass was judged forward and again the chance went.
The Lions started well in the second half with Chris Atkin kicking a forty-twenty in the opening minutes and this set up the pressure for Andy Ackers to score the Lions opener as he crossed to the right of the posts and Atkin converted. Stuart Litter was inches from giving the Lions the lead on fifty minutes when he latched onto a Ben White kick but he was grounded by and excellent tackle just near the tryline.
Rob Lever put the Lions ahead two minutes later when some great build up play by Mort, Atkin and White got him over on the left and Atkin converted with a little help from the left hand upright , but the lead was short lived when Danny Langtree went over for Oldham and Palfrey added the simple conversion and then two minutes later added a short range penalty goal to stretch the lead.
The Lions spend long periods trying to break the home side defence in the middle of the half but it was Oldham who made the game safe with two tries in three minutes with Langtree and Adam Clay going over and Palfrey added one more conversion but again the Lions would not let the game die and in the final seconds of the match scored their third try when Tommy Gallagher went over on the right but Atkin’s conversion fell wide of the mark as the hooter sounded but it was a good game to watch as both sides gave everything.
