North Wales Crusaders    30        Swinton Lions    6

Alan Dixon at Stadiwm CSM

A young Swinton Lions team could not handle a much stronger and experienced North Wales Crusaders side in this pre-season game.

The Crusaders were first to score in the sixth minute. After winning a penalty, their forwards drove the ball to the line. Jordy Gibson then moved the ball out wide to Cole Oakley to score. Dec Patton could not add the extras. Three minutes later, the Lions conceded another penalty. Good runs by Jayden Hatton and Ant Walker allowed Dec Patton to put a kick in behind the defence. The Lions managed to shield the ball out of play. The Lions managed to attack the Crusaders line in the 15th minute.  Tom Ratchford put a kick in behind the line, but the Crusaders were quickest to react and recovered the ball. This allowed the Crusaders to go back up the other end of the field. A kick through the defence by Jordy Gibson was taken by Dec Patton to score by the posts. He converted his own try to give the Crusaders a 10-0 lead.

The Lions went back on the attack in the 22nd minute. A kick into the in-goal by Tom Ratchford was missed by Harry Higham and two North Wales defenders. Ellis Anderson followed up to score. Reece Briers converted to reduce the arrears. Four minutes later, Jordy Gibson was high tackled in the act of kicking. From the resulting penalty, the ball was moved out wide to Luke Forber to score another Crusaders try. Dec Patton was unable to convert from the touchline. The Lions next attack ended with a knock on. This allowed the Crusaders to drive down the middle of the field. Jordy Gibson passed the ball out wide to Ollie Brookes who beat three defenders to score in the corner. Dec Patton added the extras. The Lions ended the half attacking the Crusaders line but, were unable to keep hold of the ball as they tried to burrow over the line.

The Lions conceded another penalty at the start of the second half. This allowed the Crusaders to attack the Lions line but Dec Patton’s kick into the in-goal went dead. The Lions went back on the attack. A good inside pass by Reece Briers put Finley Beardsworth through a gap. He passed the ball onto Jonny Openshaw who was eventually tackled short of the line. After a penalty for offside, the ball was moved out to Jamie Reddecliff who barged his way over the line, but he was deemed to be held up. The Lions got another penalty five minutes later. The ball was moved out to Reece Briers who took a couple of defenders over the line with him but he was unable to ground the ball. The Lions were forced to drop out in the 56th minute. North Wales sent a long pass out wide to Ollie Brookes who crossed to score in the corner. Dec Patton again missed the conversion.

Jordan Brown broke through the North Wales defence on a run to the halfway line. His pass to Jonny Openshaw was judged to be forward. North Wales went back on the attack. Poor tackling allowed Jayden Hatton to score in the corner. Dec Patton added the extras. The Lions continued to attack the Crusaders line. A Kenny Baker kick was recovered by North Wales. This allowed the Crusaders to launch another attack. Greg Eden broke through the Lions defence. A kick off the side of his boot and some slick passing sent Ollie Brookes on a clear run to the line but, he could not keep hold of the ball. Ethan Fitzgerald broke out of defence and was tackled 20 metres short of the Crusaders line. The ball was moved across the field to Kye Jacobson who was tackled short of the line. North Wales attacked again in the final minute. Jordy Gibson kicked through the Lions defence. The ball was taken by Greg Eden to score. The referee disallowed the try for offside.

Teams:

North Wales Crusaders: Lloyd Roby, Ollie Brookes, Jayden Hatton, Jake Spedding, Luke Forber, Dec Patton, Jordy Gibson, Ant Walker, Josh Eaves, Jack Houghton, Brad England, Cole Oakley, Pat Moran. Subs: Chris Barratt, Liam Cooper, Joe Baldwin, Charlie Glover, Ashton Robinson, Junior Westwood, Shaun Costello, Will Telleke, Greg Eden, Kian Fishwick, Thomas Bridge.

Tries: Oakley (6), Patton (16), Forber (26), Brookes (33,56), Hatton (66)

Goals: Patton 3

Swinton Lions: Louie Roberts, Harry Higham, Adam Jones, Ellis Anderson, Connor Parkinson, Reece Briers, Tom Ratchford, Ben Killan, George Roby, Bobby Shingler, Aaron Willis, Trent Kelly-Duffy, Kenny Baker. Subs: Ethan Fitzgerald, Kye Jacobson, Jamie Reddecliff, Jonny Openshaw, Finley Beardsworth, Lucas Coan, Deane Meadows, Jordan Brown, Jimmy Shields, Hamza Butt, Sean Murray.

Try: Anderson (22)

Goal: Briers 1

Pens: 7-4                  Half Time: 20-6                  Referee: Ryan Cox