Eagles swoop in Lions’ den

16 April 2024

SWINTON LIONS 4 SHEFFIELD EAGLES 22

IAN RIGG at Heywood Road, Sunday 14 April 2024

The Eagles continue to fly high with another great performance and a superb defensive effort kept the Lions at bay despite the home side having many chances. The Lions made an error straight from the kick off as they let the ball roll into touch and Cory Aston had the first chance but lost the ball in the Lions ten going for the corner. The Lions tried to hit back with some pressure on the line but a short kick and chase by Josh Eaves was thwarted by Matty Marsh. Eagles took the lead on seven minutes when a Thackeray kick caused confusion in the left corner, but winger Ryan Johnson was fasted to react to collect the ball and score in the corner, but Aston was off target with the conversion. Jordy Gibson then had a chance for the Lions but was held up on eleven minutes. Oliver Roberts then made a nice break, but some great defence held him in the Lions ten and as he tried to play the ball Dec Patton was sent to the sinbin for back chat to the touch judge. Gibson then put in a clean ball steal on Kyle Wood and from this Eaves made a forty metre break down field only to be stopped by good defence. A couple of good attacks from the Lions but again some good defence by the Eagles defence. Kris Welham thought he had scored in the corner on thirty-three minutes but there had been a knock-on in the build-up. They did however claim their second try five minutes from the break when Dan Abram made a rare mistake losing the ball in a tackle on half-way and Bailey Liu picked up the rolling ball to race away and score under the posts with Aston adding the simple conversion.

Eagles made an error at the kick off for the second half when Aston and Titus Gwaze collided trying to collect the ball and knocked on between them, from this scrum Jack Houghton was held up for the Lions and then Patton kicked on the last, but it was too strong for the chasing Jayden Hatton. Lewis Hall and Eaves then had further chances for the Lions but once again the defence was strong. Mitch Cox had a good chance on the hour after being set up by Ben Hartill but knocked on just short. Aston then stretched the Eagles lead five minutes later kicking a penalty from in front of the posts and then Hatton had a try cancelled out by the officials as he went for the corner for the Lions. Johnson added his second try ten minutes from time when a long-floated pass found him in space on the left and he cut inside to score by the posts with Aston converting. More Lions pressure on the line in the dying minutes which eventually saw Gibson go in after a nice pass from Hartill but Patton could not convert, but it was the former Lion in the Eagles side that had the last say when intercepted a pass on the Lions left side to race sixty metres to score in the corner as the final hooter sounded and the conversion attempt from Aston struck the posts and bounced out but it was job done and two more points in the bag.

LIONS
1 Dan Abram
25 Richard Lepori
3 Jake Spedding
4 Jayden Hatton
5 Rhys Williams
6 Dec Patton
7 Jordy Gibson
34 Louis Brogan
14 Josh Eaves
13 Mikey Wood
11 Gav Rodden
12 Mitch Cox
16 Lewis Hall

Subs (all used)
35 Ben Hartill
24 Jordan Case
20 Jack Houghton
21 Andy Badrock

Try: Gibson (78)
Goals: Patton 0/1
Sinbin: Patton (15) dissent

EAGLES
1 Matty Marsh
3 Kris Welham
23 Bailey Liu
4 James Glover
21 Ryan Johnson
6 Cory Ashton
7 Anthony Thackeray
8 Eddie Battye
22 Kyle Wood
10 Tyler Dickinson
11 Connor Bower
26 Alex Foster
13 Titus Gwaze

Subs (all used)
14 Jack Hansen
24 Oliver Roberts
12 Joel Farrell
18 Aaron Murphy

Tries: Johnson (7,70), Liu (35), Hansen (80)
Goals: Aston 3/5

Penalty count: 7-12
Half-time: 0-10
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 786