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CHAMPIONS ELECT OVERCOME LIONS
4 days ago
SWINTON LIONS 0 WAKEFIELD TRINITY 60 IAN RIGG at Heywood Road, Sunday 1st September 2024 An eleven try display by Trinity saw them overcome the Lions with a lesson in keeping the ball alive and excellent finishing. Before the game the Lions gave a guard of honour to their opponents, but also for their own player Mitch Cox who was playing his 100th game for the club. It started badly for the Lions when they knocked on at the very first tackle. Trinity took the lead in the fourth minute when Matty Ashurst went in at the corner and Max Jowitt landed the conversion. Too fast and too strong came to mind when Toby Boothroyd tore threw the centre of the Lions defence to send Lachlan Walmsley under the posts and Jowitt again converted. The third try quickly followed when a good passing movement saw Derrell Olpherts crossing in the left corner but no conversion from this one. The Lions defence was under constant pressure with the attacking style Trinity were playing and Jay Pitts was next to score when he crashed in by the posts with Jowitt on target again. Former Lion Liam Hood set up the next one this time sending out a short pass for Ky Rodwell to go over on the left and again the conversion was good. An incident not identified was placed on report in the build up to the try. The next try came to the returning Isaiah Vagana when he went in from short range on the half hour and again a good conversion. The Lions had a rare chance three minutes from the break but Brad Hammond going over on the right was pulled for a forward pass and in the last minute of the half good play down the left by Ashurst and Olpherts saw Liam Kay race over, but the conversion attempt hit the post and bounced out. It was a much better performance from the Lions in the third quarter of the match and they played some good rugby and put in some great defence. They forced a goal line drop out on forty-six minutes but couldn’t do anything with it and then Ant Walker was held up a few minutes later. Max Jowitt had moved to full back in the second half, and he was being put under pressure with kicks from Jordy Gibson. When Trinity started the fight again the Lions defence was good until Olpherts scored his second after a good offload by Jowitt and he raced in at the corner with Jowitt converting. Hood knocked on at the restart but again the Trinity defence held out and with ten minutes to go Kay produced a try for the impressive Boothroyd on the right but again no conversion as it struck the post. Trinity were coming strong in the final minutes of the game and Rodwell scored a nice try running the angles and Jowitt converted. With just a couple of minutes left some good play and passing saw Rodwell complete his hat trick and Jowitt topped off a good afternoon with another conversion. LIONS 1 Dan Abram 3 Jake Spedding 28 Brad Hammond 4 Jayden Hatton 5 Rhys Williams 16 Lewis Hall 7 Jordy Gibson 10 Gavin Bennion 14 Josh Eaves 13 Mikey Wood 8 Liam Cooper 12 Mitch Cox 33 Leon Cowen Subs (all used) 31 Ciaran Nolan 24 Jordan Case 26 Ant Walker 20 Jack Houghton TRINITY 5 Lachlan Walmsley 22 Jack Croft 4 Iain Thornley 3 Oli Pratt 32 Derrell Olpherts 1 Max Jowitt 14 Liam Kay 18 Ky Rodwell 9 Liam Hood 8 Josh Bowden 11 Matty Ashurst 20 Toby Boothroyd 13 Jay Pitts Subs (all used) 10 Renouf Atoni 16 Matthieu Cozza 19 Isaiah Vagana 21 Thomas Doyle Tries: Ashurst (4), Walmsley (8), Olpherts (16,62), Pitts (21), Rodwell (27,75,78), Vagana (30), Kay (38), Boothroyd (70) Goals: Jowitt 8/11 Penalty count: 7-5 Half-time: 0-38 Referee: Michael Smaill Attendance: 1048