Lions escape from Cheetahs

The British and Irish Lions claimed their third straight win on the tour of South Africa, but were pushed all the way before seeing off the Cheetahs 26-24.

The tourists looked to have picked up where they left off in the 74-10 thrashing of the Golden Lions in midweek as they raced out to an early 20-0 lead courtesy of tries from Irish duo Stephen Ferris and Keith Earls.

But the Cheetahs refused to buckle and had reduced the deficit to 23-14 at half-time with two tries of their own.

With the Lions unable to breach the home line in the second half despite some intense pressure, a shock looked a possibility when Corne Uys broke away for an interception try with just eight minutes remaining to make the scoreline 24-26.

Louis Strydom then saw a last-gasp drop-goal drift narrowly wide for the Cheetahs and with it went home hopes as the tourists clung on for a hard-fought triumph.

Such a close contest had looked highly unlikely as the Lions dominated the early stages, Hook kicking them ahead with a penalty after six minutes.

Searing pace

The lead was extended four minutes later as Ferris again demonstrated his searing turn of pace to collect a loose ball and dart through a hole in the home defence to score a try similar to his effort in Wednesday's rout.

Hook kicked the conversion and set up his side's second score five minutes later with a perfectly-weighted chip forward that was collected by Earls who shimmied past two defenders before touching down.

Having added the extras, Hook also kicked a penalty after another home infringement and the Lions appeared to be on course for a cricket score for the second match running.

But the game turned when Ferris was shown a yellow card for lying on and killing the ball after a timely covering tackle and the Cheetahs quickly made their numerical advantage count when Jaques-Louis Potgieter sent flying winger Danwel Demas in to score.

Imposing

Potgieter added the conversion, but it was Heinrich Brussow who was proving the real thorn in Lions' sides as the flanker began to impose himself at the breakdown.

Indeed, he was to the fore as the Cheetahs added a second try on 33 minutes, forcing a turnover from which prop Wian du Preez was eventually to score after powering past Lee Byrne from close range.

Hook then added his third and fourth penalties either side of the interval to give the Lions a bit of breathing space, but Potgieter quickly responded with one of his own after Leigh Halfpenny took out a man in the air to make the scoreline 26-17.

That's the way things stayed until late on despite periods of extended pressure from the Lions as they looked to kill off the game.

On a couple of occasions they were denied by last-ditch tackles, but also by some less than clinical finishing as the hosts fought bravely to keep themselves in the contest.

They were rewarded for their tenacity when Uys read a Shane Williams pass intended for Hook to charge the length of the pitch and score under the posts.

Replacement Strydom kicked the simple conversion and then came within a whisker of making himself a hero with his long-range drop-goal, but it fell just wide and Ian McGeechan's men survived.