Hoppers can't tame the Lions

Hoppers continued their poor away form with their seventh successive loss on the road, again conceding points in the first two minutes and, by the time they discovered any sort of cohesion, the game was already lost.

Disappointed coach Alex Keay said: “Lions are one of the best sides in this league on their day and can do a lot of damage if you let them take the initiative. Our first half performance was poor but we did play more to our potential in the second half but it was all too little too late.”

With real pace and experience in the backs, ideal handling conditions suited the home side and, ominously, some slick handling allowed wing Alfeld to cross unopposed in the second minute. Hoppers then enjoyed a period of possession and pressure and stand-in scrum half Alex Zavallis-Roebuck threatened with a blindside break. But all too often, slow ball from the breakdown hampered attacks and when Lions again got their hands on the ball, former Hopper fly-half Boshoff’s well timed pass put in wing Collins on 12 minutes.

After a break by Luke Cunningham, supported by Tom Hughes, Nick Smith got his side on the scoreboard with a penalty but their cause was not helped when flanker Jordan Pearson was sin-binned in the 20th minute and Lions astutely changed tactics, two lineout drives producing tries for hooker Williamson and lock Soloman in the space of 5 minutes.

Hoppers managed to stem the flow of points and managed sporadic attacks but the pressure eventually told and the half was summed up when they were caught napping from a tap penalty and Alfred was in for his second. Full back Boden kept up his flawless kicking with his 5th conversion to make it 35-3 at the break.

Some strong words from Keay and a flurry of replacements at first did not seem to be making any difference as first replacement scrum half Walker sprinted through some slack defence and then centre Morris touched down within 8 minutes of the restart, the immaculate Boden adding the extras.

At last Hoppers found more aggression and urgency and, after some fierce exchanges, yellow cards reduced both sides to fourteen men after 55 minutes. This time it was Hoppers’ turn to profit as replacement wing Matt Hughes took advantage of his absent opposite number, gathering his own chip and chase to score wide out. He then completed a brace when he crossed again after good support play in which Phil Whyte and Pearson caught the eye.

Although the game was lost, Hoppers were keen to add more respectability to the score line but, despite some fast and furious play, neither side could add to their tally.

Hoppers remain in 11th place, with a 13-point cushion over the relegation zone and games in hand but will be keen to get more points in the bank from a difficult last six games starting with the visit of neighbours Fylde next Saturday.