NORTHERN FORD PREMIERSHIP Featherstone Rovers 28 Swinton Lions 14: By IAN RIGG THE Lions have not won at Featherstone since the early 1960s, but they did put up a spirited performance on Monday night.

Paul Loughlin got the Lions first try after after only 52 seconds following great work by Ian Watson and Paul Smith. Unfortunately, Watson was unable to land the goal attempt from the touchline.

Rovers hit back with a Jamie Rooney penalty goal in the seventh minute, awarded for a high tackle by Ian Pickavance on Michael Rhodes.

The home side stormed into the lead when second rower Danny Evans went in for two tries in the 13th minute and 16th minutes, one of which was converted by Rooney to make it make it 12-4.

The Lions roared back on 24 minutes when Andy Craig scooped up a loose ball to combine with Marlon Billy, Watson and Smith to send Phil Coussons over for a try.

Rooney added another penalty for Rovers three minutes later, but Watson scored his first goal with a 40-metre penalty to make it 14-10 at the break. Rooney further increased the Rovers lead in the 45th minute when he sold a dummy to the Liuons defence to go over in the corner. His goal attempt hit a post.

The try of the match came in the 54th minute when Richard Henare intercepted Richard Chapman's pass to race 98 metres with three Rovers men in hot pursuit.

Henare touched down near the corner and, again, Watson failed with the goal kick.

Rovers took total control in the final quarter of the match with Matt lambert and Jamie Stokes going over for tries and Rooney adding another penalty goal.

The total penalty count for the match was 14-5 in Rovers' favour and this did not reflect in the Lions' workmanlike performance.

SWINTON LIONS: English, Roach, Coussons, Loughlin, Billy, Craig, Watson, Neill, Highton, T Barrow, Pickavance, S Barrow, Smith. Substitutes: Henare, Knowles, P Barrow, Furey.

Referee: Mr Nick Oddy.

Attendance: 1,691.

Lions coach Mike Gregory is hoping to have Craig Randall (ankle) and Phil Cushion (shoulder) back against Hunslet Hawks at Gigg Lane on Sunday (kick-off 3pm), but there is a doubt over new signing Steve Barrow, who has a neck injury.

"We need two points from this game and Wednesday's trip to York, otherwise we won't make the top eight. That's a fact and the players have been made aware of it in no uncertain terms," said Gregory.