Griffons edge out Lions

Welkom - The Griffons scored three tries in 19 minutes to beat the Golden Lions 30-19 (half-time 10-11) and claim their second Vodacom Cup win at the North West Stadium, Welkom, on Friday.

Tries from Shane Hancke, Vuyo Mboto and Japie Nel either side of the half-time break were enough to take the game away from the visitors. However, flyhalf Hansie Graaff enjoyed a good evening with the boot as he slotted five of his seven kicks and added a late drop-goal.

The Lions made the better start as Graaff's counterpart Marais Schmidt was on target with the first penalty of the game in the third minute. Graaff then missed from the kicking tee three minutes later.

Graaff atoned for his miss in the ninth minute with a three pointer, but Schmidt was on hand to restore the lead with a second penalty six minutes later. When eighth-man Ruaan Lerm dotted down in the 32nd minute, the hosts appeared to be under the cosh, trailing 11-3.

Schmidt was unable to convert though, and the game turned on its head when Griffons left-wing Hancke rounded off a well-worked try on the stroke of half time to get his side back in the match.

The Lions then endured an onslaught after the break as the Griffons' other winger, Mboto, crossed the whitewash in the 44th minute. When outside centre Nel dotted down seven minutes later the score was 27-14.

Substitute scrumhalf Vian van der Walt offered the visitors some hope when he scored just three minutes later, but Schmidt was again unsuccessful with the conversion. A drop goal from his opposite number in the 70th minute all but put the game to bed.

The win for the home side sees them climb above the Lions into fifth place in the Northern Section, although with two games still to play this weekend it remains to be seen where they will end up.

For the Lions, it represents their third defeat in succession, and they will have it all to do if they are to earn a place in the playoffs next month.

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