Ian Rigg reports from Cougar Park

The Lions put up a good first half performance before putting in a poor second forty showing to lose out once again at Cougar Park.

The Lions started brightly when Dean Gorton went close in the sixth minute after a good run from Andy Saywell. They did take the lead three minutes later when some good play down the right saw Martin Moana send Saywell in at the corner but Liam McGovern could not convert.

Saywell had another chance on twelve minutes when McGovern put a kick in for the corner but it just ran away dead in goal. Gorton had another chance for the Lions before the Cougars first real chance when Richard Knight put out a good pass to James Feather but the hooker could not hold the pass.

The Lions went further ahead on nineteen minutes when McGovern again kicked for the right corner and this time Saywell won the race for the score and McGovern added the conversion.

Barry Hamilton then had a chance from a Gary Hulse bomb kick and Cougars were forced to hack the ball dead in goal. McGovern added a penalty goal on twenty-two minutes for a holding down offence.

Cougars hit back when substitute Brendan Rawlins crashed over by the posts following pressure on the line after the Lions had been caught offside. Knight added the simple conversion.

Cougars added their second try eight minutes from the break when the Lions right-side defence melted away to leave Saywell four against one and Gavin Duffy powered over in the corner but Knight could not convert.

The Lions could have increased their lead on the brink of half time but Saywell knocked on as he again went for his hat-trick in the corner.

From the re-start the Cougars put in a short kick-off and they regained the ball and almost scored but Andy Shickell lost the ball close to the line.

Duffy added his second try in the forty-fourth minute when yet again Saywell was left out-numbered on the right but Knight was again off-target with the conversion.

Knight then missed a simple penalty attempt when Ian Hodson was sent to the sin bin for holding down. Knight made amends when he went in for a try from a good pass from Danny Jones but again he could not add the conversion.

The points were made safe six minutes from time when Knight landed a short range penalty before Craig Fawcett topped off the victory with a drop goal in the last minute.

The Lions went into the game without Gary Sykes (Flu) and the injured Marlon Billy and Chris Hull. Late in the second half they also lost Richie Hawkyard with a leg injury.