RODDEN TREBLE HELPS LIONS TO BIG WIN OVER THUNDER

NEWCASTLE THUNDER 6

SWINTON LIONS 48

IAN RIGG Blaydon RFC, Sunday

A treble from Gav Rodden helped the Lions to a big win in the Newcastle sunshine witnessed by a large following of Swinton fans.

Thunder had the better of the early exchanges and forced a goal line drop out on seven minutes but saw little of the ball for a bit after the as the Lions took charge with Ellis Anderson going close before Mitch Cox was held up. Gav Rodden opened the Lions try account on eleven minutes after a nice short pass from Alfie Sinclair and Dan Abram Converted. Thunder second row Alex Taylor was then sent to the sin bin, and the Lions made the most of the extra man with Anderson going over on the left but no conversion this time. Sinclair was then held up under the posts and from the play the ball it went right for Harry Higham to score but again Abram was off the mark with the kick. Thunder hit back just before the half hour when Alex Donaghy scored under the post from a nice, angled run and he converted too. Bobby Shingler was held up for the Lions before Adam Sidlow went close but knocked on. And in the dying seconds of the half Tommy Porter shot through a nice gap to score on the right and Abram converted as the hooter sounded.

The Lions went further ahead four minutes after the break when Rodden broke some tackles to score on the left and Abram converted. It got even worse for Thunder three minutes later when Jordan Paga shook himself free of four defenders to score by the posts and Abram again Converted. Rodden completed his hat trick on fifty-three minutes chasing a Paga kick to score, and Abram converted. The next Lions try came just after the hour when Adam Sidlow crossed from short range and Abram converted. The final try came with two minutes left when Paga kicked forward, and Anderson chased to round the Thunder Physio and score on the left, but Abram missed the conversion.

MATCHFACTS

THUNDER

1 Alex Donaghy

5 Sean Croston

3 Thomas Siddle

4 Jacob Rennison

2 Jake Dickinson

6 Charlie Yeomans

7 Elliott Shaw

8 Harry Price

9 Will Lintin

10 Josh Stoker