THUNDER STRUCK AS LIONS RUN IN NINE TRIES FOR VICTORY

SWINTON LIONS 52

NEWCASTLE THUNDER 10

IAN RIGG Heywood Road Sunday

The rampant Lions scored nine tries to move into second spot in the League One table. Thunder went close in the opening minutes, but Tyler Walton was unable to control the ball. The Lions opened the scoring on eight minutes when Jayden Hatton found a gap to send Frank Sergent in at the corner and Jack Stevens converted from the touchline. Three minutes later they were in again when Gav Rodden went from acting half-back to feed Stevens the ball and he passed on to Geroge Roby who scored on the left and Stevens converted again. Hatton then scored his fiftieth career try going over by the posts with Stevens yet again converting. Stevens was then the victim in an illegal tackle and referee Andy Sweet placed it on report. From the resulting penalty the Lions scored again when Alfie Sinclair put Stevens over to the left on the posts and he added the conversion to his own try. After the try was scored there was some fighting and Thunders Walton was shown a red card. Thunder got on the scoreboard on the half hour when Elliot Shaw kicked for the corner and Jake Dickinson scored in the corner and converted his own try. The Lions hit back again when Jordan Paga broke to feed Jonny Openshaw, and he scored under the posts with Stevens once again converting. Ethan Fitzgerald then scored in the right corner just before the break, but Stevens could not convert this one.

Thunder started strong in the second half putting early pressure on the line, but the Lions defence held them out. Hatton and Openshaw then created an attack, but the ball was lost on the last play. Thunder should have had a second try on fifty-seven minutes when Will Linton went over on the left but lost the ball as he tried to score. They did however score three minutes later when Brad Ward latched onto a nice kick by Shaw to score in the left corner, but Dickinson was unable to convert. Jordan Brown then put the Lions further ahead on sixty-three minutes scoring by the posts after some pressure from a penalty. Five minutes later Hatton scored his second powering down the left before cutting in with Stevens converting again. Sergent then had a chance but the ball kicked for him bounced over his head, but if he had caught it he would have scored. Thunder had another chance with the clock winding down but again handling let them down. And on the very last play of the game the Lions hit the half century when Hatton broke through again to complete his hat-trick scoring under the posts and Stevens added the conversion as the hooter sounded.

MATCHFACTS

LIONS

1 Louie Roberts

30 Ethan Fitzgerald

34 Jayden Hatton

17 Adam Jones

25 Frank Sergent

6 Jack Stevens

14 Jordan Paga

15 Jordan Brown

9 George Roby

20 Jamie Reddecliff