MARK Tyson scored two tries to help the BARLA Lions get off to a winning start on their four-match tour as they came from behind to defeat West Fiji 22-20.

The Askam man got the opening score after just three minutes with an unconverted try, going around a defender to dot down after the ball had been worked out to the right.

West Fiji roared in to action and made the most of a handling error when winger Veresa Tuqovu swept up and blazed 55 metres to the other end for another unconverted try to level the scores after eight minutes.

Then on 15 minutes, the hosts struck again when a powerful run from Luke Narara saw him cross the line with a couple of players hanging off him. This time, Jona Varomusu converted to put them six points in front.

After the drinks break, BARLA hurried their hosts and Tyson was rewarded with a second try after intercepting and powering in from 40 metres out, followed by Hunslet Club Parkside's Jamie Fields kicking the extras.

Just before half-time though, the Lions lost possession 30 metres form their own line and West Fiji loose forward Esira Dokini scooped up the loose ball to finished with a try. Home skipper Josateki Savou then converted to edge West ahead 16-10 at the interval.

West had a poor start to the second half when half-back Nasoni Naseru was sin-binned for repeated infringements.

Soon after this, BARLA attacked and Thatto Heath man Jack Jones popped the ball out for Luke Tagg (Castleford Lock Lane) to get it down for a try converted by Fields.

Then with five minutes to go, York Acorn's Reece Rushworth went over and Fields kicked his third conversion, which proved to be enough to seal the win despite Tuqovu getting a second unconverted try.

Millom's Lee Postlethwaite and Barrow Island's Sam Jones both started the match too, while Tyson's clubmate Tom Hopkins was on the interchange bench.