BRILLIANT LIONS RETAIN CHAMPIONSHIP STATUS!

25 September 2023

HALIFAX PANTHERS 12 SWINTON LIONS 22

 IAN RIGG at The Shay, Sunday 24 September 2023

The Lions secured their place in next season’s Betfred Championship with a superb performance against a strong Panthers side looking to secure their place in the play offs but in the end coming up short.

It was a good opening set by the Panthers pushing the Lions back towards their own line and from the next set some good passing down the left saw Ben Crooks score near the corner and Louis Jouffret was unable to convert. More pressure on the Lions line but some excellent scramble defence stopped Panthers on their attacks, but the Lions hit back on eighteen minutes when Jordy Gibson kicked forward, and Mitch Cox won the race to score on the right with Dan Abram converting to put his team ahead. Panthers tried to come back again but lost the ball on halfway and this ended with Rhodri Lloyd being grounded short and from the next paly Joery Romeo and Nick Gregson combined to send Cox over for his second and Abram converted again. Brandon Moore was then held up before the Lions again went down field to be grounded in the Panthers ten metre area and a wild pass from the play the ball saw it run along the ground and Gregson was first to react to scoop it up and score with Abram again on target. Panthers had the last attack of the half and loaded the left side but the long-floated pass to the left was intercepted by Romeo.

Panthers started the second half camped on the Lions line and the visitors gave away a penalty for obstruction near the line. From this penalty they enjoyed some good pressure on the line and eventually the defence cracked, and Lachlan Walmsley crashed over on the left, but Jouffret was unable to convert from the touchline. Rhodri Lloyd put his side further ahead on fifty minutes when Robbie Butterworth broke to feed Gav Rodden and he drew the defence to send Lloyd over on the right, but Abram could not convert this one. Walmsley then had a chance knocking on near the line from a high kick. Jouffret then also had a chance but a great block on the kick by Butterworth stopped the danger and then there was even more pressure from the Panthers attack and again a high kick for the corner and again a knock on from the flying Walmsley. The winger did eventually get over for his second when a floated looping pass found him with the line open to score in the right corner but the conversion attempt from Jouffret off the touch line struck the posts and bounced out. Panthers were getting more desperate in the final ten minutes to pull the points back but a handling error by James Saltonstall on halfway gifted the ball back to the Lions. Gibson tried a field goal with five minutes left and this was deflected by a Panthers hand and fell wide. From the goal line drop out Panthers went short and got the ball back and they went back on the attack and in the final minute Walmsley had another chance from a kick but again knocked on and in the build up to this Crooks went down with what looked like a serious shoulder injury but as the final hooter sounded the large following of Lions celebrated their safety.

LIONS

1 Dan Abram

5 Richard Lepori

22 Andy Badrock

11 Rhodri Lloyd

26 Joey Romeo

33 Robbie Butterworth

7 Jordy Gibson

8 Gav Bennion

35 Lewis Hall

13 Louis Brogan

12 Mitch Cox

32 Matty Foster

6 Nick Gregson

Subs

23 Joe Lowe

15 Jordan Case

10 Kenny Baker

16 Gav Rodden

Tries: Cox (18,26), Gregson (35), Lloyd (50)

Goals: Abram 3/4

PANTHERS

1 James Woodburn-Hall

2 Lachlan Walmsley

3 Zack McComb

35 Ben Crooks

5 James Saltonstall

6 Louis Jouffret

7 Joe Keyes

16 Will Calcott

9 Brandon Moore

10 Dan Murray

11 Ben Kavanagh

12 Matty Gee

8 Adam Tangata

Subs (all used)

20 Tom Inman

19 Ryan Lannon

31Kevin Larroyer

33 Alex Sutcliffe

Tries: Crooks (5), Walmsley (46,64)

Goals: Jouffret 0/3

Penalty count:  3-5

Half-time: 4-18

Referee: Matthew Rossleigh

Attendance: 2122