Egremont’s Leon Crellin was close to a late-winning try for the England Community Lions in their opening tour game.
Trailing 24-22 late in the game they were denied by a controversial forward pass call in a move that had been finished off by Crellin.
It was a swift counter from Conor Taylor, Crellin and strong running Connor Parkinson and although the ball came inside for Crellin to dash over, the referee’s whistle had sounded for an earlier forward pass and with it hopes of victory fell away.
It was disappointing to be denied the victory at the end but the Lions can take encouragement from their performance.
Taylor had an early effort disallowed for offside before Joell Irvine touched down a Rangitukia Teirney grubber kick after seven minutes to give the hosts an early lead.
But Teirney missed the conversion and the Lions struck right back when a smart pass to the right found Jamie Tracey on a great line and the second row ran in to score. Dom Wear converted and the Lions led 6-4.
It proved short-lived as Teirney supported a great run down the left by Kaelin Heremaia-Phillips after sleight of hand from clever fullback Kainoa Gudgeon. This time Keelyn Tuuta-Edwards missed the conversion.
The Chairman’s XIII continued their promising start when the ball went to the right. Despite Gudgeon’s pass hitting the deck, it found Te Toa Parkinson, who finished well.
A fourth try soon went the way of the Western Australians when halfback Robbie Smith chipped over the advancing defence and won the race into the backfield to ground on the right. Teirney added their first goal and it was 18-6 and the Lions looked decidedly off-colour.
But the tourists came back at their opponents and Lewis Price had a try ruled out with Jack McShane pulled up for a forward pass.
The tourists were improving and surprised their hosts a minute before the break when Kells’ half-back Wear got the ball out of a challenge and Craig McShane dived in for Danny Rowse to goal and close the gap to 18-12 at half-time.
Five minutes into the new half the Lions struck when Craig McShane somehow found a way through the defence and Price crossed in support.
The extras from Rowse put the Lions on level terms and they were unlucky a couple of minutes later when Rowse was brought back for a forward pass after trailing the inside.
WA Chairman’s XIII were struggling to impose themselves on the new half and the Lions scored their fourth try with a clever switch down the right for centre Crellin to dive over.
It proved too far out for Rowse to convert but the tourists were now 22-18 ahead after 50 minutes.
The teams went set for set in a compelling game before Gudgeon found a gap and had the pace to exploit it, finishing from fifty metres. Teirney goaled from just off-centre and the Chairman’s XIII led 24-22 with 12 minutes remaining.
Smith missed a field-goal attempt and one final chance befell the Lions but sadly a forward pass had been ruled earlier in the move.
The Lions can take plenty from defeat and now head into preparation for their first test against the Western Australia state side on Thursday.
England Community Lions: Kieron Prescott, Connor Parkinson, Leon Crellin, Jake Dearden, Lewis Price; Dom Wear, Conor Taylor; Chris Siddons, Ellison Holgate, Andy Philbin, Jamie Tracey, Jacob Moore, Keiran Glen
Subs: Craig McShane, Danny Rowse, Matty Stableford, Jack McShane, Conner MacCallum, Ben Shulver, Charlie Tomlinson, Elliott Cousins
Tries: Tracey (11), C McShane (39), Price (45), Crellin (50).
Goals: Wear 1/1, Rowse 2/3
