We're sponsored by Glossop Caravans

CENTURIONS CONQUER AT HEYWOOD ROAD

11 March 2019

Swinton Lions returned to Heywood Road to face Leigh, but it was the Centurions who took the two-league points.

Leigh Centurions bagged six tries at Heywood Road in a hard-fought contest that saw the visitor’s claim the league points with a 30-12 victory.

The Centurions got back to winning ways with a hard fought victory over the Lions.

The game started with two players being sent to the sin-bin in the opening minute when Luke Adamson and Ollie Partington were sent to cool off after a fight on ten metres. But the visitors got the penalty and pressed home the advantage when Stefan Marsh crossed in the corner but Martyn Ridyard could not convert from the touchline. Both teams then had good chances but could not hold the ball at the important time and both chances went.

Danny Richardson kicked a forty-twenty on twenty three minutes but on the first tackle of the attack the ball was lost near the line because of a knock on and then a short time later there was another attack from the Centurions but they bombed a chance when a wild pass to Marsh on the right sailed into touch.

Centurions went over again eight minutes from the break and it was the returning Liam Hood that darted over from short range to score by the posts and Ridyard made no mistake this time with the conversion to stretch the lead. Richardson then kicked another forty-twenty with the strong wind at his back and they went close again to scoring but Sam Brooks was held up.

Gregg McNally then marked his return to the team when he linked into a passing movement to score in the right corner and Ridyard once again converted but there was a bit of controversy as the half time hooter sounded and the Centurions were camped on the Lions line and the ball was played with the hooter still sounding and the ball was sent to the right and Matty Costello managed to get over and score a try out near the corner but Ridyard could not convert this one.

The Lions struck back within six minutes of the restart when Rob Fairclough was hit off the ball by Brooks and from the resulting penalty the ball was moved quickly and Matty Ashton forced his way over in the right corner and Harry Smith converted from the touchline. The Centurions came back on fifty six minutes when Toby Adamson went over on the left and again Ridyard converted.

The Lions then had another good spell on the Centurions line but could not break the defence despite having eighteen tackles on the line. Ashton almost grabbed his second with a seventy five metre break but was grounded by a great tackle just ten metres short but he did get over ten minutes from the end when Liam Forsyth broke free and raced fifty metres before handing on to the winger to score and Smith again converted from near the touchline. The victory was capped off for the Centurions in the final minute when Marsh added his second in the corner but Richardson missed the kick as the final hooter sounded.

Full time: Swinton Lions 12-30 Leigh Centurions

Ian Rigg reporting from Heywood Road.

MATCH FACTS

Lions: Hansen, Butt, Forsyth, Williams, Ashton, Smith, Fairclough, Bennion, Waterworth, Hatton, Shelford, Halton, Partington.

Subs: Brickhill, Jones, Kenga, Acton.

Tries: Ashton (47′,70′)

Goals: Smith 2/2

Centurions: McNally, Pownall, Costello, I.Thornley, Marsh, Ridyard, Richardson, L.Adamson, Higham, Brooks, T.Adamson, Bentley, Cator.

Subs: Hood, Spencer, A.Thornley, Gregson

Tries: Marsh (3′,79′), Hood (33′), McNally (37′), Costello (40′), T.Adamson (56′)

Goals: Ridyard 3/5 Richardson 0/1

Referee: Greg Dolan

Attendance: 2,054

HT: 0-20 FT: 12-30

Photo credits: Emily Parker and Pete Green

 

Sponsors

Sale FC
Roadflash
Primus Traffic Management
Glossop Caravans
ROODSAFE
Created by Rugby League World Cup England 2021
Camway Installations
Daisymill Technologies
Swinton Lions Supporters Trust