The DHL Stormers were left frustrated as they went down 24-10 against the Lions in their Vodacom URC Origin Round derby in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The visitors were held up over the line three times and despite dominating the set-pieces and possession, came away with nothing to show for their efforts.
The opening 20 minutes were scoreless as both teams battled to find the killer blow up against some staunch defence.
The home side opened the scoring when flank Sibabalwe Mahashe ran away after Angelo Davids had won a high ball.
They followed that up with a second try soon afterwards as a kick ahead saw centre Henco van Wyk score under the poles.
The DHL Stormers applied plenty of pressure in response and Wandisile Simelane was held up over the tryline, but they were unable to make it count as the Lions took a 14-0 lead into the half-time break.
The visitors got on the scoreboard with a penalty from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu early in the second half, but the Lions responded with a try from replacement Erich Cronje to make it 21-3.
The DHL Stormers rung the changes and immediately scored a maul try, which was disallowed by the TMO for obstruction. They kept the pressure on and eventually it was skipper JD Schickerling who went through for the try after getting a deft pass from Evan Roos.
The Lions kicked a penalty to make it a two-try advantage heading into the final quarter and although they were reduced to 13 players through some ill-discipline, still managed to hold the DHL Stormers out.
The scorers:
For Lions:
Tries: Mahashe, Van Wyk, Cronje
Cons: Smith 3
Pen: Smith
For DHL Stormers:
Try: Schickerling
Con: Feinberg-Mngomezulu
Pen: Feinberg-Mngomezulu
DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant (Outeniqua), 14 Dylan Maart (Klein Nederburg), 13 Wandisile Simelane (Jeppe), 12 Jonathan Roche (Bishops), 11 Leolin Zas (Hermanus), 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Bishops), 9 Stefan Ungerer (Maritzburg College), 8 Evan Roos (Paarl Boys), 7 Ben-Jason Dixon (Paul Roos), 6 Paul de Villiers (Oakdale), 5 JD Schickerling (Paarl Gim – captain), 4 Adré Smith (Oakdale), 3 Sazi Sandi (St Andrews), 2 JJ Kotzé (Paul Roos), 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu (Maritzburg College).
Replacements: 16 André-Hugo Venter (Grey College), 17 Vernon Matongo (Northwood), 18 Zachary Porthen (Wynberg), 19 Connor Evans (Bishops), 20 Marcel Theunissen (Grey College), Hacjivah Dayimani (Jeppe), 22 Imad Khan (Bishops), 23 Jurie Matthee (Paarl Gim).
