LONDON SKOLARS...28 LIONS...26: LIONS travelled down to the capital on Sunday for the tough National League Two test against the Skolars and came back pointless, as the home side snatched victory in the dying minutes of the match.

Coach Paul Kidd was full of apologies for his large band of supporters who made the long journey south.

"We prepared well all week and came down yesterday and continued the preparation, but something went wrong when the lads took the field, and to be three tries ahead and throw it away is just not good enough," he said.

The game started badly for the Lions when they lost control of the ball near their own tryline and Skolars' prop Alex Smits sent Kurt Pittman darting over for a try by the posts, which he also converted.

It could have been worse four minutes later when Peter Hannan made a break up centre field, but Deon McFarland knocked on with a clear run to the line.

The Lions hit back in the 11th minute when Peter Cannon darted over from close range after some good play by Ian Hodson, Warren Ayres added the goal points to level the scores.

Ayres then added a penalty goal a short time afterwards when Stuart Singleton was penalised for holding down Rob Whittaker.

Mick Coates put in a great 40/20 kick midway through the half to put his side in a great position, but Wayne English knocked on at the first tackle.

Chris Irwin and Alex Smits were sent to the sin bin in the 21st minute for fighting and it was the home side who scored next when Mark Cantoni raced in by the posts and Joel Osborn converted to put the Skolars back in front.

But Chris Maye grabbed the Lions second try four minutes from the break, again after good play by Hodson.

Ayres missed the kick and the scores were level but not for long, as Peter Cannon grabbed his second try on the stroke of half time to put the Lions ahead 61-12 at the break.

The scoring continued as the second half started whren the Skolars knocked on at the kick-off, from the resulting pressure on the London line Dave Llewellyn sailed in at the corner and Ayres again converted.

Chris Irwin went close in the 51st minute when he chased his own kick through and Osborn was forced to kick the ball dead in goal. Stephen Green, the Skolars centre, looked to have scored out wide but was adjudged to have lost the ball as he grounded it.

The Lions increased their lead on the hour when Irwin raced fifty metres down the left to score in the corner, Ayres missed the kick.

The Skolars then hit back again when Green scored by the posts and Pittman converted.

Ayres missed a 30 metre penalty in the 67th minute and then the Skolars made things very tight when Stuart Singleton fed Cantoni for his second try by the sticks and Pittman converted.

Skolars took the lead seven minutes from time when the very stong prop Rubert Jonker forced his way over but Pittman was off target with the conversion, however, it was was enough for the Skolars to hang on for victory.

LIONS : English, Thorpe, Llwellyn, Maye, Irwin, Coates, Ayres, Wingfield, Cannon, Whittaker, Stazicker, Sinfield, Hodson. Subs: Ashton, Pembroke, Loughlin, Liku

IAN RIGG