Rugby League: Lions go down in a classic

THE Lions made their third trip of the season to Hull Kingston Rovers' new Craven Park ground and for the third time they came away empty-handed.

Sunday's match was a classic with both sides scoring four tries each the crucial difference being a missed penalty goal by Steve Gartland ten minutes before half-time.

The Lions went into the game with Paul Hulme, Tony Barrow and Mark Welsby still missing through injury.

Simon Ashcroft moved to full-back and had another impressive game while George Mann was outstanding for the full eighty minutes following his painful rib injury.

The Lions had all the early pressure but failed to press home their advantage and when Stanley Gene went under the posts after eight minutes after a nice short pass from Paul Fletcher it really was against the run of play.

Mike Fletcher converted and Rovers had a six-nil lead.

Andy Coley created the opening for Swinton's first try when he raced forty metres and handed on to Sean Casey for a try by the posts which Gartland converted. A sickening incident shortly afterwards saw Jimmy Vaikoso carried off on a stretcher after colliding with Jamie Kennedy.

Vaikoso was heavily concussed and his replacement David McComas came in onto the wing with Gavin Price-Jones moving to centre.

Swinton hit the lead after 27 minutes. An offside penalty 30 metres from the Rovers' line saw Ian Watson take a quick tap, the ball went on to McComas who was tackled ten metres short but from the play-the-ball nice passing across the field saw Ian Blease and Price-Jones work the opening for Casey's second try. Gartland's conversion made it 12-6.

Chris Charles was penalised for interference upon Gartland nine minutes from the break but crucially the kick went wide.

On the stroke of half-time Rovers levelled things when Alex Thompson and Howard Hill created a try for winger Richard Smith. The touchdown looked suspiciously like a double movement but referee Steve Presley allowed the try to stand and Mike Fletcher converted. Rovers had the first opportunity of the second half but a Wayne Parker drop goal was wide of the mark.

Paul Barrow went close for the Lions at the other end before Mike Fletcher broke the deadlock with a penalty goal after 50 minutes after Ashcroft was pulled up for not allowing Parker to play-the-ball.

Richard Smith created a good position for the home side and his pass to Chris Charles seemed forward, once again the touchdown by Charles was allowed with Mike Fletcher adding another superb conversion.

Not to be downhearted the Lions hit back on the hour when Mann burst from 30 metres downfield before handing on to Casey who drew Mike Fletcher before passing back to Gartland for a try he converted himself.

The gap was down to two points but not for long. Rob Danby was pulled up for a forward pass but Kennedy made amends with a try in the corner which Fletcher again converted off the touchline.

Smith then lost the ball in the act of scoring before Casey completed his hat-trick after a long period of pressure on the Rovers line and with ten minutes still to go.

Gartland added the conversion to complete the scoring as hero of the hour Casey hobbled off to be replaced by Damian Cleary.

The Lions piled the pressure on Rovers in the final ten minutes, Watson had a try disallowed for a knock-on at the previous play-the-ball on the Rovers line. Cleary and Andy Craig both had chances but unfortunately it wasn't to be.

It was an end-to-end game which neither side deserved to lose.

Luckily the Lions remain in fourth place thanks to results elsewhere going in their favour.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.