HEAD coach Will Croker insisted Bournemouth had sounded a warning to National Three South West following their 32-13 opening-day win at Dings Crusaders.

Wyn Roberts grabbed a hat-trick as a Lions side that featured no fewer than eight debutants recorded a bonus-point victory in Bristol.

And Croker felt his charges had given their rivals food for thought with their success over Dings, relegated from National Two South last term.

Croker told the Daily Echo: “They were very combative and tried to get into our faces but the boys stuck to the task incredibly well.

“There were very long periods in the second half where they were pounding our line but we showed real courage to keep them out.

“We didn’t play as well as I would have liked. They were a big pack but they weren’t particularly conditioned, so we needed to keep the ball for longer periods in order to make them run but we didn’t do that.

“So for us to get that result playing at 50 or 60 per cent of what we’re capable of is really encouraging and I think it sends a message to the league that this is a team that needs to be considered.”

On Roberts’s hat-trick haul, Croker added: “Wyn was sensational. There are some things you just can’t buy and pace is one of them. They were scared stiff every time he got the ball.”

Lions led 20-13 at the break thanks to two tries from Roberts and two penalties from debutant Jack Parsons.

Despite losing Duncan Soden to a yellow card in the second period, Lions held out and late tries from Roberts and Grant Hancox, the former converted by Parsons, wrapped up the win.

Meanwhile, Lions’ second-string also triumphed on their trip to Dings, securing a 24-12 friendly victory.