SWINTON LIONS 16

MIDLANDS HURRICANES 8

IAN RIGG            Heywood Road               Sunday

Swinton Lions moved into second spot on the table with a good victory over the high-flying Hurricanes. The visitors had signs it was going to be a bad day when they knocked on at the kick off to put the Lions straight on the attack, but another handling error this time let the Lions down. The first Hurricanes chance came on nine minutes when Tom Wilkinson went for the right corner but lost the ball going in at the corner. Jack Stevens then launched a high ball towards the line which Hurricanes knocked on. From the scrum the ball moved quickly right, and Louie Roberts crossed in the right corner, but Reece Briers was unable to convert. Hurricanes then got a bit more into the game but bad handling errors in good positions. Twice Luis Roberts had chances on the right, but the ball went to ground. Another chance went on twenty minutes when they knocked on. The Lions hit back on twenty-seven minutes when Gav Rodden scored on the left and Stevens converted. Roberts had another good chance for Hurricanes nine minutes from the break, but he did finally get over just before the half time hooter when he scored in the corner, but Sully Medforth missed the conversion off the touchline.

Conrad Hurrell playing Dual registration from Saints then almost set up a try for Harry Higham in the corner, but he was just knocked into touch as he dived. Jon-Luke Kirby was held up for Hurricanes after some good build up. They were trying to get more into the game but kicks on the last tackle were not finding the attack. Stevens increased the Lions lead on fifty-six minutes when Stevens slotted a penalty for a high tackle on Jake Davies. Rodden was then held up for the Lions on the next set before Medforth tried to create something for his side, but the ball ran dead. Jordan Paga intercepted for the Lions, but good defence managed to pull him down. Hurricanes hit back with a second try on sixty-eight minutes when Matty Hanley crossed in the corner but again no conversion from Medforth. The Lions got the ball back from the restart and this laid the platform for the Lions to go further ahead with ten minutes left when Hurrell found the pass for Higham to go over. There was an eventful last five minutes when Medforth had another chance for his side, but the ball went loose again. Referee Aaryn Belafonte was having some sort of issue just after this and left the field to be replaced by touch judge Oli Maddock for the last few minutes and there was still time for another Lions attack when George Roby went close and that would have been more icing on the cake.

MATCHFACTS

LIONS

1 Louie Roberts

25 Frank Sergent

34 Conrad Hurrell

2 Ellis Anderson

5 Harry Higham

7 Reece Briers

6 Jack Stevens

10 Bobby Shingler

14 Jordan Paga

20 Jamie Reddecliff

11 Gav Rodden

36 Jake Davies

13 Kenny Baker

Subs (all used)

16 Finley Beardsworth

33 Deane Meadows

8 Adam Sidlow

9 George Roby

Tries: Roberts (12), Rodden (27), Higham (70)

Goals: Briers 0/1

Stevens 2/3

HURRICANES

2 Matty Chrimes

24 Matty Hanley

3 Ryan Johnson

4 Ross Oakes

25 Luis Roberts

14 Aiden Roden

21 Sully Medforth

8 John Luke Kirby

9 Danny Barcoe

27 Liam Kirk

11 Tom Wilkinson

12 Josh Jordan-Roberts

13 Mikey Wood

Subs (all used)

26 Ethan Newboult

18 Zeus Silk

16 Ellis Hobson

34 Lewis Peachey

Tries: Roberts (38), Hanley (68)

Goals: Medforth 0/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0,10-0,10-4,12-4,12-8,16-8

Penalty count: 4-4

Half-time: 10-4

Referee: Aaryn Belafonte Replaced on (76) by Oli Maddock

Attendance: 1031