LIONS STUN THE UNDEFEATED LEAGUE LEADERS TO TAKE THE VICTORY

SWINTON LIONS 26

NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 20

IAN RIGG Heywood Road Sunday

The Lions produced an epic second half to send the Crusaders to their first defeat of the season with some stunning second half tries. After Jack Stevens had put the Lions in a good position with a kick down to the left corner, they opened the scoring after five minutes when Tommy Porter put a nice kick through the defence and Lloyd Roby was wrong footed by the bounce and Jamie Reddecliff was following up and collected the ball to score by the posts with Dan Abram converting. Crusaders hit back quickly when former Lion Jordy Gibson put out a nice short pass for Sam Wilde to score near the corner and Jamie Dallimore converted. Chances for both sides just after this but on both occasions the kick on the final tackle ran dead. An incident for an alleged bite in the tackle went on report on eighteen minutes and from the penalty that had already been awarded Crusaders swung the ball left and Pat Ah Van went over in the corner and Dallimore missed the kick. Jordan Case and Kieran Taylor were then both held up There was a case of handbags on thirty-eight minutes when a Lions player was high in the tackle and fists were thrown. Finley Beardsworth was then sent to the sinbin for a dangerous tackle and the Lions were down to Twelve and from this Dallimore added the penalty conversion, Crusaders went further ahead two minutes from the break when Ollie Brookes finished off a fast passing movement to score in the left corner but Dallimore was unable to convert off the touchline.

The Lions made a good start to the second half putting immediate pressure on the line but good defence from Crusaders held them out. The second Lions try came five minutes into the half when Gav Rodden produced a nice short kick through for Stevens to chance and score under the posts with Abram converting, and then they took the lead three minutes later when a superb weaving run saw Ellis Anderson go over on the left and Abram converted to put his team in the lead again. More pressure again from the Lions and Crusaders were forced into a goal line drop out then George Roby grounded his brother behind the goal line. Josh Eaves put his side back in the lead with seventeen minutes left when he dived in from close range, but Dallimore again missed the conversion. Then the visitors knocked on at the restart which put the Lions in a great position and in the first tackle they were awarded a penalty for a high shot and Abram converted to level the scores. Stevns then forced a goal line drop out with a couple of minutes left and from the pressure from this Will Roberts spun a long spiralling pass for Frank Sergent who went in at the corner and Dan Abram converted from the touchline to secure victory.