BARLA Lions' tour ended on something of a sour note as they went down 32-16 in an ill-tempered match against Fiji Bati Residents.

Lions head coach Gary Hewer ended up going to speak to the referee at half time after his players made accusations of spitting and biting against their opponents.

Millom's Lee Postlethwaite was also subject to a vicious tackle at the end of the match which left him with a broken shoulder and saw the Residents' Ilai Nareki sent off.

But Cumbrian Hewer was proud of the way his side conducted themselves.

"It's easily my proudest moment on tour," said Hewer. "The team were subjected to some things that shouldn't happen to rugby league players, and kept their heads.

"My team gave everything they had and I backed them one hundred percent."

The match itself saw the tourists go behind just two minutes in when the ball was kicked high by Penioni Tagituimua and then worked out to the right by Turagsnivalu for Maci Kalou to score, followed by Timoci Namotokula converting.

But the Lions hit back on 16 minutes when Craig Savage kicked ahead, Kalou fumbled and Barrow Island's Sam Jones passed inside for Jordan Gibson to score an unconverted try in the corner.

Askam man Tom Hopkins then took the battle to Fiji with a series of strong runs, but hosts enjoyed more possession and this told after 27 minutes as Josua Rokonavutoro broke the line and Isimeli Vatanitawake ran to the posts, with Tagituimua converting.

The Residents then scored two tries in three minutes, first through Josua Rokonavutoro after he pounced on a kick which bounced away from the Lions defence.

Namotokula converted and then touching down himself in the left corner.

A converted try from Andy Hullock early in the second half after after Roseru Nawasetawa was sinbinned for holding down gave BARLA hope

Fiji responded with a break through the middle and Roger Qoro skipped to the posts, with the conversion putting them 18 points clear, and they struck again with Tagituimua getting an unconverted try.

Former Millom man Marcus O'Brien, now with Egremont, got a final try for the tourists before the ugly end to the contest.