Swinton Lions Wheelchair   32        St. Helens Wheelchair    14

Alan Dixon at Star Salford Academy

The Lions Wheelchair team continued their build up to the start of the league season with an emphatic second half performance to overcome St. Helens.

The Lions went on the attack straight from the kick off. Their first chance came in the second minute when Dan Robinson kicked over the defence. Charlie Gordon gave chase, but he was unable to get to the ball before it went out of play. St. Helens were awarded a penalty in the fifth minute. They moved the ball out to Kieran Lacey who drew in the Lions defence before passing it out to Barry Seddon who scored in the corner. Kieran Lacey kicked the conversion. Two minutes later, a Lions attack ended in an interception which was knocked on. From the restart, quick hands by Dan Robinson and Jordan Parker got the ball out to Andy Unwin who scored in the corner. Dan Robinson was unable to convert. The Lions took the lead from the restart. Andy Ainley set up the play before Jordan Parker passed the ball out to Charlie Gordon who weaved his way through the St. Helens defence to score. Dan Robinson added the extras. St. Helens levelled it up straight away. The kick off bounced over the head of Andy Unwin and into the hands of Jason Molloy to score. Kieran Lacey missed the conversion. The game was now going from one end to the other. Kieran Lacey’s kick over the top was too long. The Lions attacked from deep with passes by Jordan Parker and Andy Ainley getting the ball out to Andy Unwin, but he lost the ball in the tackle near the line.

The put Saints back on the attack. Kieran Lacey kicked the ball coming out of defence for Jason Molloy to chase. He was unable to get to it before the ball went dead in goal. The Lions hit back with Jordan Parker kicking the ball for Dan Robinson to chase but the ball went into touch before he could get to it. Again, Saints hit back coming out of defence. Kieran Lacey kick for Jason Molloy to chase. Charlie Gordon beat him to the ball and knocked it dead. The Lions drop out went the full length and out of play behind the Saints try line. Kieran Lacey kicked the ball for Jason Molloy to chase. This time he re-gathered the ball to score. Kieran Lacey was unable to convert. The Lions finished the half the stronger with Dan Robinson, Andy Unwin and Jordan Parker all being tackled on the Saints try line.

The Lions went straight on the attack at the start of the second half with Jordan Parker going into touch in the act of scoring. St. Helens reverted to king from deep to get some good field position. Again, the kick was too long. The Lions next attack was set up by Duncan Clarke before the ball was moved out to Jordan Parker who was tackled short of the line. The ball was switched back across the field but, the final pass to Andy Unwin could not be taken. St. Helens next attack ended with a Kieran Lacey kick for Jason Molloy to chase. Again, the ball went dead before he could get to it. Dan Robinson took the ball out of defence for the Lions. The ball was moved out to Jordan Parker who passed the ball around the back of the Saints tackler to Andy Unwin to score. The try was disallowed for a forward pass. The Lions attacked again on their next possession. Elina Parker was tackled out wide. The ball was moved across the field to Jordan Parker and onto Dan Robinson but his pass to Duncan Clarke bounced away. This didn’t deter the Lions as the attacked from deep on their next possession. Dan Robinson sent Jordan Parker through the Saints defence, but he was called back for a forward pass. They attacked from deep again on their next possession. Dan Robinson weaved his way through the Saints defence before passing the ball onto Jordan Parker. His pass out to Andy Unwin sent him on a run before his chip over the top forced Saints to knock the ball dead.

The Lions levelled the scores in the 63rd minute. Dan Robinson intercepted a St. Helens pass who managed to tackle him short of the line. The ball was moved out to Andy Unwin, but he too was tackled short. The ball was moved back to Dan Robinson to score. He was unable to convert his own try. Six minutes later, Dan Robinson broke through the Saints defence to go half the length to score. He was pulled back as one of his tags fell off and the referee deemed him to have been tackled. They took the lead on their next attack three minutes later. The ball was moved out wide to Elina Parker to score in the corner. The conversion was missed. They scored again five minutes later. Dan Robinson broke out of defence and passed the ball out to Elina Parker who raced away to score her second try. Dan Robinson converted. Two minutes later, the Lions were awarded a penalty. This allowed them to go back on the attack with Robin Cronshaw being tackled short of the line. The ball was moved out to Dan Robinson to score. Again, he was unable to convert.  The kick off went straight to Robin Cronshaw who weaved his way through the Saints defence to go the full length to score. Elina Parker was unable to convert.

Teams.

Swinton Lions: Andy Unwin, Dan Robinson, Andy Ainley, Charlie Gordon, Jordan Parker. Subs: Elina Parker, Duncan Clarke, Robin Cronshaw, Louis Liptrott.

Tries: Unwin (7), Gordon (10), Robinson (63,79), E. Parker (72,77), Cronshaw (80)

Goals: Robinson 2

St. Helens: Barry Seddon, Doyle Kenney, Kieran Lacey, Graham Latham, Jason Molloy. Subs: Dave Gee, Ian Hannah, Dave Chapman, Aiden Dawson, Roy Richardson.

Tries: Seddon (5), Molloy (11,27)

Goal: Lacey 1

Pens: 8-4                  Half Time: 10-14