LIONS IN CUP SUCCESS OVER GALLANT WEST HULL

14 February 2024

Betfred Challenge Cup – Third Round

SWINTON LIONS 50 WEST HULL 6

IAN RIGG at Heywood Road, Sunday 11 February 2024

A ten try performance saw Swinton progress into the next round and a mouthwatering tie against Oldham. West Hull played some entertaining Rugby and never have up from minute one. The visitors were on the attack straight from the kick off when the home side were judged offside with the very first kick of the game and put some good pressure on the Swinton line in the first set. Dan Abram put Swinton in the lead in the fifth minute when he took a lovely short pass from Brad Hammond to score on the right and Abram converted. West Hull had some more pressure on the line before Gav Rodden crossed for Swinton only to lose the ball over the line, but they did go further ahead on twenty minutes when Andy Badrock broke down the left to score by the posts and Abram converted again. Ben Bradshaw thought he had scored under the posts for West Hull after a nice pass from Elliott Jones, but it was judged forward. However, a couple of minutes later they won the ball back and some good pressure on the line saw Ryan Wilson score by the posts and he also added the conversion. From the restart the ball was lost, and Daniel Spencer-Tonks reacted quickly to collect the ball and score by the posts with Abram adding the conversion.

Swinton got two early penalties just after the restart and this put them in a good position for Hammond to slip the pass for Abram to score by the corner, but he was unable to convert. Hammond then scored a try of his own finishing some good pressure on the right, but Abram again was off the mark. Richard Lepori added the next try finishing off another good move down the right but again no conversion. Playmaker Josh Eaves scored under the posts just after the hour when Abram made a break from his own twenty to feed him to race away to score and the conversion was on target as the visitor’s defence was under constant pressure. Jack Stevens added the next try on sixty-five minutes when Abram spotted a gap in the defence to send him in from short range and again the conversion was good. Winger Rhys Williams scored the nineth try with nine minutes left after a penalty in the final twenty and the ball flowed through seven sets of hands as he went in at the corner. The visitors were still giving it all and had a good chance to score with four minutes left, but the Swinton defence held out. The final try came just seconds from the hooter when Stevens and Joe Purcell combined well down the left to put Williams in at the corner, but Abram was unable to convert from the touchline, but praise must go to the young West Hull side for giving it their all in an impressive performance.

LIONS
1 Dan Abram
25 Richard Lepori
28 Brad Hammond
21 Andy Badrock
5 Rhys Williams
18 Jack Stevens
7 Jordy Gibson
13 Mikey Wood
14 Josh Eaves
10 Gav Bennion
11 Gav Rodden
22 Cole Oakley
17 Matty Fletcher

Subs (all used)
23 Joe Purcell
8 Liam Cooper
15 Daniel Spencer-Tonks
12 Mitch Cox

Tries: Abram (5,44), Badrock (20), Spencer-Tonks (37), Hammond (51), Lepori (59), Eaves (61), Stevens (65), Williams (71,80)

Goals: Abram 5/10

WEST HULL
1 Mason Palmer
2 Keiron Masike
3 AJ Chambers
4 Leon Stewart
5 Jay Hampshire
6 Josh Wood
7 Elliott Jones
14 Zeus Silk
9 Nathan Powley
18 Oscar Ellerington
20 Ryan Wilson
12 Benn Arbon
13 Ryan Steen

Subs (all used)
15 Ben Bradshaw
10 Robbie Jones
16 Kieran Welburn
17 Scott Howlett

Tries: Wilson (34)
Goals: Wilson 1/1

Penalty count: 10-8
Half-time: 18-6
Referee: Tara Jones
Attendance: 441