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LIONS DISAPPOINT AT BATLEY

13 August 2024

BATLEY BULLDOGS 26 SWINTON LIONS 6

IAN RIGG at Fox’s Biscuits Stadium, Mount Pleasant, Sunday 13 August 2024

Batley Bulldogs claimed the points, but it was one of those games where you were made to fight for everything, and Batley did it better. The home side took the lead in the second minute after a good pass from Kieran Buchanan and Joe Burton went over, but Josh Woods was unable to convert. Andy Badrock was then held up for the Lions on six minutes and then he was grounded just short five minutes later after some good build up play. Ant Walker made a nice break up centre field soon afterwards but ran out of support. Bulldogs went further ahead on twenty-one minutes when Adam Gledhill went close, but Brandon Moore darted over from the play the ball and Woods converted from in front. The Lions young full back Joe Purcell had to leave the field on twenty-seven minutes being injured in a heavy tackle and banged his head on the floor as he went down. Badrock had another break just after the half hour and was clear when he was pulled for a forward pass in the build-up. Burton added his second try seven minutes from the break after he finished off a good passing movement, but Woods again was off target with the kick.

Bulldogs made a good start to the second half putting pressure on the Lions line, but it was the Lions that opened the scoring when Jack Stevens took on the Bulldogs defence to sell a couple of dummies before scoring by the posts and he also added the conversion. Just after the restart Bulldogs forced a goal line drop out and Alistair Leak was held up. The home side then got back on top of play having a few chances and stretching the Lions defence before eventually Leak sent Luke Cooper over by the posts on seventy minutes and Woods converted and the game was slipping away from any Lions chances. There were though a couple more Lions chances with Rhys Williams having one chance, but he was held out. Another attack down the left was stopped by Dale Morton when he knocked down a pass meant for Badrock. Jonny Vaughan then had a good chance down the right when Leon Cowen tried to set him up, but good defence stopped it. Bulldogs scored the final try with seconds left when Luke Blake went close and as the ball moved to the left former Lion Ben White crossed under the posts and Woods converted as the hooter sounded.

LIONS
23 Joe Purcell
25 Richard Lepori
4 Jayden Hatton
21 Andy Badrock
5 Rhys Williams
18 Jack Stevens
7 Jordy Gibson
26 Ant Walker
9 George Roby
10 Gavin Bennion
11 Gav Rodden
29 Jonny Vaughan
16 Lewis Hall

Subs (all used)
14 Josh Eaves
33 Leon Cowen
20 Jack Houghton
13 Mikey Wood

Try: Stevens (49)
Goal: Stevens 1/1

BULLDOGS
1 Robbie Butterworth
2 Dale Morton
24 Jonny Mitsias
3 Kieran Buchanan
18 Joe Burton
6 Ben White
7 Josh Woods
8 Adam Gledhill
25 Brandon Moore
10 Luke Cooper
11 Dane Manning
12 Lucas Walshaw
17 Luke Blake

Subs (all used)
9 Alistair Leak
15 Nyle Flynn
13 James Brown
20 Ben Kaye

Tries: Burton (2,33), Moore (21), Cooper (69), White (80)
Goals: Woods 3/6

Penalty count: 4-4
Half-time: 14-0
Referee: James Vella
Attendance: Not Given

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