We're sponsored by Glossop Caravans

HORNETS EXACT REVENGE ON THE LIONS

04 June 2018

Swinton Lions suffered their twelfth defeat of the season as local rivals Rochdale Hornets exacted revenge for their SummerBash defeat.

Welsh International Rhodri Lloyd scored his fourth league try in 16 games this season

Swinton Lions 18-25 Rochdale Hornets

Hornets got their revenge for their Summer Bash defeat in a hard fought encounter which saw Lions substitute Josh Barlow spend time in the sin bin before he was sent off in the dying minutes but by then the game was already won for the visitors.

Hayden Hansen and Liam Paisley were both held up in the opening ten minutes before Tyler Whittaker shot through a big gap to send Danny Yates in by the posts with Whittaker kicking the easy conversion.

But the Lions hit back quickly when Rhodri Lloyd forced his way over but the conversion from Chris Hankinson sailed wide. The visitors had lots of pressure on the line with some nice offloads and Gary Middlehurst scored by the posts after pressure on the line and Whittaker was on target again.

The Lions thought they had hit back when Mike Butt broke free from half way to feed the supporting Hayden Hansen who scored under the posts, only to see the referee back on half way awarding Hornets a penalty for offside much to the annoyance of the Swinton fans. From this it was more Hornets pressure when firstly Whittaker was held up and then Rob Massam found a way to score in the left corner, again his conversion was on target.

Josh Barlow was sent to the sin bin with seven minutes to go at the break for running in to a fight and in the dying seconds of the half George Tyson went for the corner but lost the ball trying to score.

Despite making a complete hash of the restart after half time, Hornets were on the scoreboard first when both half-backs combined to send Deon Cross over on the left and again the conversion was good from Whittaker.

The Lions came back again when they were awarded a penalty in the Hornets half and Hankinson forced his way over on the right but this time Jack Hansen could not convert this one. Both teams then had good attacking spells before Hornets were awarded a penalty thirty metres out in front of the posts and somehow Whittaker screwed this one wide of the posts.

The Lions’ next try came seven minutes from time when Tyson beat Richard Lepori to a Jack Hansen kick  and from the play the ball Lloyd dived in for his second try but this time the conversion attempt from Hankinson struck the posts and bounced out.

As the clock ticked down, the Lions had another chance when Barlow went close in the corner but the ball ran away from him and during the restart something appeared to have been said to one of the officials and he was sent off. Whittaker then dropped a goal with two minutes left and Hankinson completed the scoring when he followed his own kick to score under the posts and he also added the conversion to his own try as the hooter sounded.

Ian Rigg reporting from Heywood Road

MATCH FACTS

LIONS: Gabriel Fell, Mike Butt, Chris Hankinson, Rhodri Lloyd, George Tyson, Brad Billsborough, Jack Hansen, Andy Bracek, Hayden Hansen, Ben Austin, Andy Thornley, Liam Paisley, Gabe Hamlin

Subs: (All Used) Josh Barlow, Kyle Shelford, Chris Worrall, Tommy Gallagher

Tries: Lloyd (18,73), Hankinson (54,80)   Goals: Hankinson 1/3, J.Hansen 0/1

Sin-Bin: Barlow(33) running in to fight    Sent-Off: Barlow (75) Foul Language

 

HORNETS: Declan Kay, Richard Lepori, Jack Fox, Deon Cross, Rob Massam, Tyler Whittaker, Danny Yates, Jo Taira, Ben Moores, Gary Middlehurst, Toby Adamson, Lee Mitchell, Dave Allen

Subs: (All Used): Jonah Cunningham, Lewis Hatton, Pat Morna, Luke Adamson

Tries: Yates (15), Middlehurst (22), Massam (30), Cross (46)   Goals: Whittaker 4/5   Drop Goal: Whittaker -1

Penalty Count: 9-7    Half-Time: 4-18   Referee: Tom Grant    Attendance: 631

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