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3 weeks ago
01 July 2019
Swinton Lions scored 36-points to claim the win over Rochdale Hornets.
The Lions claimed a 36-28 victory in the local derby to jump to 10th place in the Betfred Championship table.
Despite a difficult build up to the match with Spotland being unavailable for ground problems, the Lions managed to defeat the barrier put in front of them to win the game and take two valuable points to move them back up the table.
The game started badly for the Lions when Mike Butt was sent to the sin-bin for a trip in a tackle which put Hornets on the attack early and they managed to get over for the opening try on twelve minutes when Shaun Ainscough scored in the corner but Dan Abram could not add the conversion.
Four minutes later they were over again when Adam Lawton dived over by the posts and Abram converted this one to give his side a ten point advantage.
The Lions then started to come into the game more and Luke Waterworth was held up and then Craig Mullen just couldn’t chase down a kick through but they did get on the board on twenty-nine minutes when Scott Moore scored his first Lions try going over from short range but Jack Hansen hit the posts with the conversion.
Five minutes later they were in again when Jack Wells crashed over on the right and Hansen converted this one to level the scores and with just seconds left of the half Matty Ashton broke free and raced forty metres to score on the right but again the conversion was missed but the Lions held a four point advantage at the break.
Ashton increased the Lions lead just two minutes into the second half when Richard Lepori broke free and raced down field and handed the ball to the supporting Ashton to go over for his second with Hansen adding the conversion from the touchline.
Hornets came flying back again on fifty-one minutes when Pierre Bourrel scored with his first touch of the ball in a Hornets shirt and Abram again converted this one to bring them back within four points.
Mike Butt then increased the Lions lead when a good run ended with him scoring in the corner but again Hansen could not convert this one. Moore was sent to the sin bin for a late tackle on the hour and while he was off Bourrel scored his second for Hornets and again this was converted by Abram to bring them back within two points.
Hansen then increased the Lions lead with eight minutes left when he sold a dummy to the Hornets defence to race away for the try on the right and his conversion was good via the posts on the way over but yet again Hornets were not going away and Brandon Wood went over in the left corner with three minutes left and Abram landed a great conversion to set up a tense finish, but it was the Lions again with just seconds left who scored the winning try when Rhodri Lloyd sent Butt over for his second in the left corner and Hansen landed a super conversion as the final hooter sounded and the players celebrated with the winning song with the fans behind the goals.
Ian Rigg reporting from Rochdale Mayfield.
MATCH FACTS
Hornets: Abram, Ainscough, Case, Worthington, B.Wood, Farrell, Thomas, Marriott, C.Wood, Lawton, Baker, Weldon, Shelford.
Subs: Gleeson, Sheridan, Mitchell, Bourrel.
Tries: Ainscough (12′), Lawton (16′), Bourrel (51′,62′), B.Wood (77′)
Goals: Abram 4/5
Lions: Ashton, Butt, Mullen, Lloyd, Lepori, Hansen, Fairclough, Bennion, Waterworth, P.Jones, Wells, Halton, Byrne.
Subs: Brickhill, Moore, Kibula, Hatton.
Tries: Moore (30′), Wells (35′), Ashton (39′,42′), Butt (57′,79′),Hansen (72′)
Goals: Hansen 4/7
Referee: Liam Moore
HT: 10-14 FT: 28-36
Attendance: 549
Photo credits: Pete Green & Emily Parker