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LIONS CLAIM WIN IN TOULOUSE

16 June 2019

Swinton Lions become just the second team this season to take the victory in Toulouse.

Swinton Lions become just the second team this season to defeat Toulouse Olympique at Stade Ernest Argeles with a 20-18 victory.

Swinton Lions produced a stunning performance to stun Toulouse and give them more valuable league points.

The Lions fielded almost the same team that produced a good performance the previous week but Olympique were without a few of their top players but as the old adage goes you can only play what is in front of you.

Rob Fairclough almost opened the Lions account in the third minute when he chased his own kick over the try line but the ball just ran away from him and then Mathieu Jussaume made a good break only to be halted just short by Matty Ashton.

Brenden Santi was held up on seven minutes and from the ten metre start Stan Robin found a gap to dart over and score the opener with William Barthau converting.

Both sides then traded attacks and most of the Olympique ones ended in losing the ball in good positions as the Lions defence scrambled well.

The Lions hit back on twenty minutes when they got a penalty near the line and they ran the ball and this ended with Rhodri Lloyd scoring near the left corner but Fairclough could not convert and they had another good chance a few minutes when Matty Ashton tried to put Gavin Bennion clear but the ball went to ground.

Olympique then extended the lead when Tony Maurel scored in the corner following a kick through but Barthau missed the conversion and seven minutes from the break Anthony Marion made the most of a Lions handling mistake to score on the left but again Barthau was off the mark with the kick.

The home side could have scored again in the dying seconds of the half but they knocked on a metre from the line at the play the ball.

Chances again for both sides in the early minutes of the second half with Mike Butt and Jordan Dezaria both going close and then the Lions struck back when a good passing movement saw Liam Paisley finish off a good passing movement on forty-seven minutes to score on the right but Fairclough was off target with the kick.

Five minutes later, following three penalties on the bounce, Paisley again scored on the right and Jack Hansen converted this one to level the scores.

Robin and Butt where sent to the sin bin on fifty-five minutes for fighting and the incident went on report too.

The Lions defence was working overtime trying to stop the home side from scoring and forcing many more errors until Bathau sent Marcon over in the right corner but again Barthau was off target with his kick and the Lions were still fighting and they got their reward with five minutes left when Paisley completed his hat-trick again going over on the right and Hansen again converted to put his side ahead and in the final minutes Luke Waterworth darted over twice from close range at the play the ball only to be denied both times for obstruction.

There were mass celebrations as the final hooter sounded from the noisy following of Lions fans.

Ian Rigg reporting from Stade Ernest Argeles

MATCH FACTS

Olympique: Barthau, Marcon, Jussaume, Dezaria, Maurel, Marion, Robin, Puech, Parata, Vaivai, Mika, Bell, Santi.

Subs: Evans, Hepi, Boyer, Sangare

Tries: Robin (7′),Maurel (24′),Marion (33′),Marcon (65′)

Goals: Barthau 1/4

Sin-Bin: Robin (55′)

Lions: Ashton, Butt, Lloyd, Paisley, Lepori, Hansen, Fairclough, Bennion, Waterworth, Hatton, A.Jones, Wells, P.Jones.

Subs: Brickhill, Shelford, Halton, Kibula

Tries: Lloyd (20′), Paisley (47′,52′,75′)

Goals: Fairclough 0/2, Hansen 2/2

Sin-Bin: Butt (55′)

Referee: Greg Dolan

Attendance: 2789

HT: 14-4 FT: 18-20

Photo credits: Pete Green 

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