Round 2 East Lancashire Lions vs Hemel Stags:

East Lancashire Lions 22 Hemel Stags 42

EAST LANCASHIRE LIONS 22 HEMEL STAGS 42 – Anchor Ground, Darwen

After last weeks defeat at Huddersfield, Hemel were confident of a good performance and first away win of the campaign.
They dictated the game despite the wet and windy conditions making handling difficult, the difference proving to be the pace of Stags winger Dave Afreh, who crossed for a hat trick.
He opened the scoring, after the Lions had put pressure on Hemel in the early plays, pouncing on a dropped ball to scoot clear, Barry John Swindells – playing at loose forward – converting.

Before the hosts could recover their composure, Stags nipped over for a second try from inventive stand off Blake Kirby to make it 12-0.
The darting runs from dummy half of hooker Craig Kay gave East’s some momentum as they adapted to the slippery conditions and he was rewarded with a dart to the line from close in.
Swindells, whose midfield influence provided constant menace with his regular line breaks, found a gap to reassert the visitor’s advantage and Lancs again handed vital field position and initiative to the opposition, Ashley Fyson making them pay with a superb display of eye-catching footwork to beat three defenders to go over the whitewash.
They were caught again just before the break when Kane Phillips jinked his way over but threw themselves a life line in the closing move of the half, Dave Bruin chasing his own clever kick to reach the ball first.
East’s’ began the second half with better shape and determination and a higher completion rate but a terrific 40/20 from Swindells, which defied the rain put Hemel back in prime position.
Some neat passing and support play saw Craig Bailey score in the corner and then Afreh produced a moment of spectacular magic, beating five men on a mazy run to cross out wide.
Within a couple of minutes he had completed his treble, exposing a gap in the Lions line and bursting through it to effectively seal the points.
With their backs to the wall after hard running forward Simon Fleming was sin binned, the hosts pushed hard to gain some consolation in the game.
Ben Simpson burst through the Hemel defence to touch down between the posts and Martin Lowe continued the mini fight back dragging two defenders over the line with him to finish the scoring
Both sides showed commendable defensive resilience, but flashes of individual brilliance, principally from Afreh and Swindells and the hardworking hooker Andy Curtain, making great yards from dummy half gave the Stags greater control over the ball. Tony McAllister, making he’s debut less the 36 hours after arriving from Australia, will be a welcome addition to the Stags front row.
The sides meet again in Hertfordshire next weekend.

Tries: Afreh 3, Kirby, Swindells, Fyson, Phillips, Bailey
Goals: Swindells 5
Man of the Match: LIONS – Craig Kay STAGS – Dave Afreh
Half time: 10-28
Referee: A. Gill