Ian Rigg reports from Park Lane

The Lions got their division two campaign underway with an unconvincing win over an impressive performance from the Panthers.

Swinton took the lead in the first minute when they re-gathered from their own kick-off in the strong wind and moved up field. In the first set and it was Gary Hulse who set up the try with a nice short kick to the corner to which Dean Gorton won the race for the touchdown. Richie Hawkyard could not add the kick against the wind from the touchline.

The Panthers tried to reply from the restart and it took a good bit of defensive play by Lions fullback Darren Bamford to stop Carl Jones from scoring after a good kick through by Martin Gambles.

The Lions increased their lead in the ninth minute when Rob Line powered his way over by the posts after an initial break by Bamford, Hawkyard this time add the conversion from close range.

The visitors hit back with their first try three minutes later when Darryl Kay made a break down the left and then moved in field to pass to John Boland who set up the touchdown for Damian Munro to go in by the posts and Jonny Leather added the simple goal points.

Panthers had another attack on the Lions line and again it was a Gambles kick through but it just over ran the chasers and ran dead in goal.

Marlon Billy put the Lions further ahead in the twenty-fifth minute when he won the race to the corner to latch onto a Liam McGovern kick and score the try. Again Hawkyard was on target but the wind was too strong for the conversion to go between the posts.

Billy added his second three minutes later when Hulse put in a short kick down the left and Billy raced past the Panthers defence to re-gather and score but the wind again proved too strong for Hawkyard’s conversion.

Panthers came roaring back just before the break when Lions winger Andy Saywell lost the ball in his own twenty metre area and Carl Jones made the Lions pay for their error when he raced over to score on the left with Leather adding the goal points.

The scores were level three minutes from the break when again a Lions mistake cost them dearly when McGovern’s knock-on resulted in a converted try for Leather under the posts.

Panthers took the lead within three minutes of the start of the second half when substitute Scott O'Brien put in a nice kick near the line and Leather again won the race to score under the posts and add the goal points.

The Lions came back strongly and forced Gambles to hack the ball dead in goal on fifty-six minutes and from the goal line drop out the Lions managed to scored when Line and Phil Wood combined to send Martin Moana over to the right of the posts and McGovern added the extras.

Both Saywell and Wood had chances for the Lions before Billy scored an opportunist try as he went from acting halfback on the left to leave defenders trailing in his wake to score under the posts and again McGovern converted.

Swinton sub McGovern then added a penalty goal with ten minutes left before adding his own try and conversion two minutes later after Wood had created the gap for him to score.

Panthers would not lie down and were looking for the bonus point when the impressive O'Brien scooted over to the left of the posts and Leather added the conversion with three minutes.

As the full-time hooter sounded the Panthers were awarded a penalty inside their own twenty metre area and they decided to run the ball though eight points behind. As the passes moved to the left the ball was dropped and Chris Hull collected the loose ball to race in and score by the posts. McGovern added the goal points to claim the victory for the Lions and also deny the bonus point for the visitors.