HORNETS WIN THE ARM WRESTLE TO TAKE THE POINTS

ROCHDALE HORNETS 8

SWINTON LIONS 7

Ellis Anderson scores the try ( Credit MKS Photography )

IAN RIGG Crown Oil Arena Friday

Hornets put in a dogged performance to claim the points in the local derby on a wet afternoon,

The Lions were dealt a blow in the opening minute when their captain Mitch Cox was injured in the tackle and had to leave the field. There was a late hit on Reece Briers on three minutes but from the resulting penalty the Lions came close to scoring but the kick for the goal line ran dead from Louie Roberts. It was then Hornets turn to press the line, and it took a good tackle from Harry Higham to stop Cian Tyrer on the left and then they forced a goal line drop out but from the line pressure on this one Lewis Else knocked on in the twenty. Hornets took the lead on thirteen minutes when Emerson Whittel went close and from the play the ball Elijah Simpson crossed by the posts and Max Flanagan converted. The Lions hit back five minutes later when some pressure in the left corner saw Gav Rodden send Ellis Anderson over and Briers landed the conversion from the touchline. Tyrer then had a chance but knocked on again near the line, but the Lions lost Aaron Lynch to the sinbin on thirty-two minutes for a late shot on Greg McNally and within a minute Hornets were a man down when Deane Meadows saw yellow for a late shot on Louie Roberts. Hornets then got a penalty thirty metres out, but Flanagan put it wide. With the seconds running down to the half time hooter the Lions took the lead when Briers landed a drop goal via a deflection off a Hornets defender for the one pointer.

The Lions came out strongly for the second half and in the opening minutes they had forced two goal line dropouts. Hornets then had a good chance, but Dom Newton knocked on in the Lions twenty. Another goal line drop out was forced by the Lions but again they could not hold onto the ball. Hornets introduced their eighteenth man Morgan Punchard on fifty-one minutes after a couple of failed head injury assessments. Jayden Dayes was sent off for Hornets on fifty-three minutes for an alleged high tackle on Frank Sergent. The Lions were awarded a penalty right in front of the posts on fifty-six minutes but elected to play the ball rather than take the kick and lost the ball in the first tackle. Newton then went close for the home side shortly afterwards being ankle tapped and then they were awarded a penalty for offside, and Punchard added the points to put his side ahead. The Lions then had a purple patch with lots of pressure on the line but handling errors were letting them down. Hornets were awarded another penalty with ten minutes left which was also kickable, but they took the tap instead. More pressure on the Hornets line in the closing minutes from the Lions but some good scramble defence proved vital.

MATCHFACTS

HORNETS

1 Gregg McNally

28 Kian Tyrer

20 Tom Ashton

4 Myles Harrop

5 Luke Forber

14 Max Flanagan

7 Lewis Else

26 Elijah Simpson

29 Dec O’Donnell

10 Luke Nelmes