GREGORY'S DREAM TEAM ARE JUST ORR-IBLE

SWINTON coach Mike Gregory made no attempt to hide his feelings after the Lions' Friday night sojourn to Edge Hall Road, the home of Orrell RUFC, turned into a nightmare.

After racing into a 24-8 half-time lead, it took a Sean Casey try two minutes from time to earn a share of the points as Whitehaven staged a dramatic second half fightback.

Gregory was gobsmacked by his team's second half performance. "I have never been as embarrassed as a player or coach with that second half showing," he stormed.

"It's no disadvantage for us playing here at Orrell, but I'm not having spectators having a go at me because my players turn in a performance like that.

"How can we be so good in the first haf, yet so bad in the second?"

The first points came the visitors way when Kevin Hetherington kicked a fourth minute penalty goal after the Lions were penalised for ball-stealing only two tackles after giving an offside penalty away. A great break by Sean Furey, playing at scrum half in place of the suspended Ian Watson, led to a midfield break also involving Phil Coussons and Paul Smith, the result of which saw Craig Randall cross for his and the Lions' first try. Mick Nanyn's conversion gave the Lions a 6-2 advantage.

Whitehaven soon hit back. A high kick to touch was well taken by Nanyn, but his opposite number, Craig Walsh, bundled him over the sidelines.

With resulting scrum possession in the Lions' quarter, some quick crossfield passing saw Craig Chambers cross for a try under the posts which Hethreington converted.

From the kick-off the Lions tackled Whitehaven in their own in-goal area, forcing a drop-out from under the posts. In the first tackle David Fatialofa went high on Jason Roach and Nanyn kicked a 35-metre penalty goal to level the scores.

Midway through the first half, a Lions penalty for offside against the visitors saw the start of Swinton's purple patch.

Tony Barrow went on a drive to the posts and off-loaded to Smith, who touched down, leaving Nanyn a simple conversion.

Casey was just wide with a 30-metre drop goal attempt before the Lions scored two tries in two minutes either side of the half hour mark.

Casey made a great run and his pass to Andy Craig saw the centre cross to the left of the posts, but Nanyn missed with the conversion.

From the restart Marlon Billy fielded the ball and went on a diagonal run to send Nanyn away down the right wing. He passed inside to the supporting Coussons and he sent Randall racing to the posts for his second try -- and what a try it was.

Nanyn converted for a 24-8 lead. It stayed like that until half-time, despite the Lions continuing to pile on the pressure, with Casey's massive 40-20 kick penning the visitors back.

But Whitehaven hung on without conceding any more points before the break.

As the second half started Neil Fraser knocked on 30 metres out from his own line, but with the Lions on attack, Roach was put on report for striking Lee Kiddie. despite being given a bloody nose by the Whitehaven half back.

'Haven's tactics seemed to be knocking the Lions out of their stride. Walsh elbowed Casey off the ball, but Nanyn's penalty goal attempt was short and wide, giving Whitehaven the possession back. Good defending by the Lions saw Chambers stopped just short on the sixth tackle, forcing a hand over. But the Whitehaven recovery had started and four tries in 11 minutes rocked the Lions back on their heels.

Wayne Kitchen and Kiddie created a try for Walsh in the left-hand corner, despite a hint of obstruction in the approach play.

Graeme Morton was next to cross the Lions' line after a great run by Fatialofa which left Tony Barrow injured in the back play. Hetherington missed both conversions, but he was successful when adding the extras to Kiddie's try after Australian-bound Matt Knowles missed a tackle and Roach just failed to hold the 'Haven scrum half up over the line.

Swinton were seeing nothing of the ball and it was no surprise when they did get possession that Casey's frustration saw him kick ther ball out on the full as they struggled to make ground. With 12 minutes remaining, David Seeds scored a try as the Lions failed to clear a kick behind their line and Hetherington's conversion gave the visitors a 24-28 lead.

With time running out, Alan Bone was penalised on halfway for a high tackle on Coussons as the Lions pressed forward. They had a chance when Smith passed to Billy, but he was knocked back by Fraser with the line beckoning.

On their next attack Swinton lost the ball as Billy tried his best to keep it alive.

A Roach kick-through saw Leslie Wilson tackled behind his own line and the resulting goal-line drop out saw Casey's last gasp individual try save Swinton's bacon.

Unfortunately, Nanyn could not convert from out on the touchline.

SWINTON LI0NS: Roach; Nanyn, Coussons, Craig, Billy; Casey, Furey; Knowles, Highton, T Barrow, Loughlin, Randall, Smith. Substitutes: Pickavance, Henare, Evans, Staziker. Referee: Mr Graham Shaw (Wigan). Attendance: 672.