GATESHEAD THUNDER 23, LIONS 28: A TRY five seconds from time by Ian Sinfield got his side out of jail to take the points in an end-to-end tussle in the North East, as the Lions rounded off the regular season with a fourth win on the bounce.

"I knew Thunder would raise their game but I didn't expect it to be that close," said Lions' coach Paul Kidd.

"We now have to look forward to our play-off game, this was a stern test and I expect the lads to be ready for the visit of Workington Town to Park Lane on Sunday."

The Lions got off to a flying start when Mick Coates kicked a 40/20 in the first minute, from the resulting scrum Kris Smith raced in at the corner for the try but unfortunately Rob Russell could not add the goal points in the strong wind.

Chris Maye added a second in the 11th minute but again Russell missed the goal shot.

Thunder then got on the scoreboard when Neil Thorman scored under the posts and Paul Thorman converted.

Maye scored his second try midway through the half when Coates put a bomb kick to the corner and he won the race with Steve Morton to score in the corner.

Wayne English added the fourth eight minutes from the break, following some good play by Coates and a good chip over the Thunder defence from English himself to score by the posts, which Russell converted.

The home side got a dream start in the second half when Liam Garside put out a fine pass in the tackle and Neil Thorman bagged his second of the afternoon.

Brother Paul added the goal points to bring Thunder within six of the Lions.

Dave Llewllyn stretched the Lions lead in the 53rd minute when he side-stepped the defence to score in the right corner, but again Russell couldn't add the difficult conversion.

Thunder came roaring back again and Steven Bradley crossed on the hour after pressure on the Lions' line following a penalty, but Thorman missed his first conversion of the afternoon.

It got even better for Thunder five minutes later when Robin Peers raced in at the corner following a Thorman bomb kick, which Hugh Thorpe failed to control.

But Thorman again missed the conversion and only two points separated the teams.

Thorpe had a try cancelled out by the official in the 71st minute for a forward pass and then Thunder levelled the scores with six minutes left, when Thorman kicked a penalty.

The same player then put his side into the lead two minutes from time when he slotted over a good drop goal.

Intense pressure on the Thunder line was rewarded with just five seconds left, when Sinfield forced his way over for the winning try in the left corner and Russell added the goal points as the final hooter sounded.

LIONS: English, Thorpe, Llewellyn, Maye, Warburton, Coates, Hayden, Sinfield, Ayres, Rogers, Smith, Russell, Hodson. Subs: Patel, Cushion, Gardner, Whittaker.