WESTHOUGHTON Lions Under-10s are like a fine wine...they get better with age.

Tony Grindley's side have been one of the in-form team at the Den this season with an impressive record of 14 wins and just two losses as they head towards the mid-season break.

Speaking after a tiring week which involved two matches in four days, Grindley has been delighted with the young cubs.

He said: "We are not the biggest of physical team in our age-category so we have been training them to pass the ball more.

"It means we are really good at playing rugby and we are always thinking about space.

"Some people say they are not interested in the results and development but the number of wins can go hand-in-hand showing that we are coaching them well.

"When we first started with them they lost every single game and every years we are getting better to where we are now as they are established in the team."

The Lions showed off their skills to good effect on Sunday with a 28-12 win against the Ryland Tiger Sharks but they had to work hard for it.

The match started with both defences on top but it was not long before Ben Grindley-Roberts put over a small chip kick and Kieran Cooke scooped up the bouncing ball to cross in the corner for a well worked try.

That would be the last the Lions would see of the Rylands try line in this half as the Tiger Sharks started to play some very smart rugby league, working good structured sets and forcing Lions errors from their kicks.

While the Lions defence was good, they were punished for a loss in concentration as the dummy half touched down to level the scores.

It looked like the Lions might be able to hold out but just as the half time whistle was about to blow the Tiger Sharks forced their way over with a converted try to take a deserved 12-6 lead into the break.

Westhoughton got back into it when a grubber kick from Sam Dixon had the ball bouncing around the in goal area before Jacob Lovett dove on the loose ball for the Lions second score of the game, Ben Sixsmith added the two.

The Lions continued to control the ball well and some good quick hands found Kieran Cooke in space for him to race 10 yards or so to score a fantastic team try, Cooper Bainbridge added the extras.

The Lions defence proved solid and they Sam Dixon intercepted the ball and raced half the length of the field for a great solo effort and really put the Lions in the driving seat.

It was two tired teams that were heading into the final minutes but the Lions did not let up and some quick hands from Man of the Match Zak Taylor on the blind side gave Cooke just enough space to jink his way over the line for his third and the Lions last try of the game. Cooke added the extras to his own try to give us a final score of Rylands Tiger Sharks 12 - 28 Westhoughton Lions.