WHITEHAVEN 34

SWINTON LIONS 24

IAN RIGG            Ortus-Rec          Sunday

Two converted Haven tries in the last five minutes of the game took a potential victory away from the Lions. Josh Eaves put the Lions ahead in the eight minutes after a break by Louie Roberts fed him to score with Jordy Gibson converting. They were further ahead five minutes later when Jordan Brown crashed over from short range and this time Tom Ratchford added the conversion after Gibson sustained a knee injury in the previous tackle. Haven hit back on twenty minutes when Ben Pearce scored and Ciaran Walker converted. Haven were now running strong and Walker scored an individual try on the half but missed his conversion. Jay Wetherall then crossed in the corner and Walker converted before a try right on the half time hooter stretched the lead when Ellison Holgate scored under the post after a Smith break and Walker again converted. Gav Rodden got the Lions back on the board on forty-nine minutes with Ratchford again converting. Rodden then showed a clean pair of heels on sixty-five minutes to score under the posts and Ratchford converted again to give the Lions a slim lead. It was fairly end to end until four minutes from the end when Holgate added his second try and Walker converted to put Haven back ahead. With the Lions doing everything to try and regain the lead it was Haven who sealed the match with a minute left when Liam Williamson scored by the posts and Walker converted before the hooter.

LIONS: Roberts, Ah Van, Jones, Anderson, Higham, Ratchford, Gibson, Brown, Eaves, Killan, Rodden, Willis, Rathbone.  Subs (all used). Kelly-Duffy, Shingler, Wadsworth, Porter.

Penalties: 5-6,  Attendance: 660,           Half-time: 22-12,            Referee: Carl Hughes

***** Photo credit Ben Challis *****