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Lions enjoy the seaside

Ian Rigg
24/ 2/2005

Northern Rail Cup
Blackpool Panthers 24
Swinton Lions 34

THE Lions kept up their good start to the campagn with victory over the Panthers at an icy cold Bloomfield Road on Friday night.

Blackpool took the lead in the second minute when Eric Andrews raced in at the corner and ex-Lion Jake Johnstone added a difficult conversion. The lead was stretched 16 minutes later when Johnstone added a penalty goal.

Swinton had early chances but ball handling let them down until Phil Joseph scored his first try for the club from close range in the 22nd minute. Lee Marsh, with one of five successful kicks, added the extras.

Two minutes later, Chris Maye raced 70- metres to score on the left. Marlon Billy added the third try to hand the Lions a 16-8 half-time lead.

Marsh added a simple penalty goal just after the break to stretch the Lions further ahead. Swinton made the game safe with three tries in nine minutes midway through the half when Billy, Maye and Stuart Oldham all went over and Marsh added two more goals.

The home side came back strongly in the final quarter as they too ran in three tries with Gary Smith, Danny Barton and Johnstone all going over.

BLACKPOOL: Bretherton, Ormisher, Redford, Johnstone, Andrews, Hough, McGovern, Parry, Roden, Hill, Leigh, Smith, Bartob. Subs: Gambles, Ramsdale, Jones, Molloy. Tries: Andrews, Smith, Barton, Johnstone. Goals: Johnstone (4).

SWINTON: English, Oldham, Patterson, Maye, Billy, Coates, Watson, Southern, Joseph, Rogers, Heaton, Sinfield, Marsh. Subs: Ayres, Russell, Cramant, Whittaker. Tries: Joseph, Maye (2), Billy, Oldham. Goals: Marsh (5).

Ref: Steve Nicholson.

Att: 512.