YORK KNIGHTS...44

SWINTON LIONS...24

A MUCH improved performance from the Lions couldn't prevent the Knights from extending their fine run of form.

The game started brightly with both sides trying out each others defences and Darren Callaghan bombed a try in the third minute when he dropped Chris Langley's pass as he crossed the try line.

Peter Cannon made a break from the Lions a minute later but ran out of supporting players.

The first Lions try came in the sixth minute when Warren Ayres combined with Chris Maye to send Phil Cushion racing over the line and Ayres slotted over the conversion points.

This seemed to spark the home side into action and they replied in the thirteenth minute with a Scott Rhodes try after Nathan Graham had been grounded just short by Phil Cushion's fantastic tackle and Danny Brough added the conversion.

Two minutes later, they were in again when Danny Brough scored from a great break by Damian Ball and Brough again converted.

York's fourth try in twelve minutes came in the 25th minute when Craig Forsyth sent Lee Jackson over by the posts and Brough added the goal points to put the home side twenty-four points to six ahead.

The Lions hit back just before the half hour when Hugh Thorpe intercepted Scott Rhodes wayward pass to race sixty metres to combine with Wayne English; who sent Chris Irwin over under the posts and Ayres goaled.

Brough missed a penalty attempt five minutes from the break but it was the Lions again who got on the scoreboard on the stroke of half time when Mick Coates touch kick had put them in a good position and Kris Smith sent Wayne English over for the Lions third try to which Ayres again converted as the half time hooter sounded.

York started the second half with two early penalty goals from Brough to stretch their lead and then there was a moment on controversy in the fifty-sixth minute when Irwin was judged to have knocked on in his own half and from the resulting scrum Graham raced in by the posts for the Knights and Brough converted yet again.

Their sixth try came twelve minutes from time when Jackson broke the Lions defence to send Callaghan over.

The Lions last try came four minutes from the end when Peter Cannon grabbed his usual effort as he darted over from close range and Ayres converted. The home side had the final say when pressure on the Lions line saw Damian Ball go in for the try and Brough added the goal to cement the victory.

Lions coach Paul Kidd was pleased with the Lions effort and pointed out the controversial moment as being a major turning point in the game but he was very pleased how the team had fought back to within six points at the break.

It continued to go downhill for the Lions as three minutes later Chris Langley raced in for the third try; Brough converting.

Lions: English, Thorpe, Llewllyn, Maye, Irwin, Coates, Ayres, Loughlin, Cannon, Liku, Cushion, Sinfield, Smith.

Subs (All used): Ashton, Russell, Stazicker, Wingfield

Tries: Cushion, Irwin, English, Cannon