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LIONS SILENCE RAMS FOR FIRST HOME WIN

02 July 2018

Swinton Lions survived a late Dewsbury comeback to secure their first Championship home win of the season at Heywood Road.

Swinton Lions 29-28 Dewsbury Rams

Swinton completed an impressive victory in an epic game which could have gone either way or even ended in a draw but the home side just held on.

The Rams got off to a flyer when Arron Brown made the most of a goal line drop out to score on the left, but Paul Sykes conversion struck the posts and bounced out. The Rams continued their bright start six minutes later as they were in again when Michael Knowles sent Lucas Walshaw over and Sykes did convert this one.

Chances came for Chris Hankinson and George Tyson who both went close before Tyson latched onto a Jack Hansen pass down the left to race away and put the Lions on the board with Hankinson converting. However, three minutes Dewsbury’s Dale Morton broke away down the left to dive in at the left corner and Sykes converted this one too.

Robbie Ward then had a good chance for the Rams but lost the ball short of the line but from the scrum the Lions moved down field and added their second try, Gabe Fell going over on the left but the conversion was missed.

Both sides had chances at the end of the half but could not convert them and this continued early into the second as the Rams made a complete hash of the kick off giving the Lions the ball back but they knocked on too.

No doubt pumped up from a half-time team talk, Josh Ganson scored the Lions third try nine minutes into the second half going over from short range and the conversion was landed, but virtually from the restart they were in again when Hankinson chipped ahead for Rhodri Lloyd to score and once again the conversion was landed.

Swinton imposed themselves heavily on to Dewsbury early in the second half and the try of the match came when Tyson broke, drew the defence and chipped the ball over them to win the race to regather and score a converted try on the left. The Lions were on a roll and Hankinson stretched the lead further to thirteen points, dropping a goal on the last tackle.

Dewsbury still threatened and came back again when a huge overlap on the right allowed Gareth Potts to score but no conversion from this one, then in a moment of madness Hankinson was sent off for a dangerous tackle on James Glover.

The Rams now playing with the extra man started throwing everything at the Lions and Igbinedion scored in the left corner but again no conversion as the visitors narrowed the lead to five points. With nine minutes left, Morton grabbed his second in the corner but again no conversion followed and in the dying minutes the Rams had two good chances to land the one pointer but decided to go for the four but the Lions defence performed heroics to stop them and gain the valuable victory.

Ian Rigg reporting from Heywood Road 

MATCH FACTS

LIONS: 1. Gabriel Fell, 5. Mike Butt, 30. Craig Mullen, 4. George Tyson, 32. Joe Brown, 3. Chris Hankinson, 7. Jack Hansen, 8. Andy Bracek, NN. Josh Ganson, 10. Andy Thornley, 11. Rhodri Lloyd, 25. Will Hope, 17. Kyle Shelford

SUBS: (All Used) 24. Aaron Hall, 14. Hayden Hansen, 33. Paddy Jones, 35. Levy Nzoungou

Tries: Tyson (12,55), Fell (30), Ganson (49), Lloyd (53)

Goals: Hankinson 4/5   Drop Goal: Hankinson 1

Sent Off: Hankinson (66) Dangerous tackle.

 

RAMS: 1. Josh Guzdek, 18. Gareth Potts, 3. James Glover, 15. Lucas Walshaw, 5. Dale Morton, 6. Paul Sykes, 13. Aaron Brown, 8. Jode Sheriffe, 9. Robbie Ward, 10. Jack Teanby, 28 Kyle Trout, 12. Michael Knowles, 20. Jordan Crowther

SUBS: (All Used) 14. Dominic Speakman, 17. Toby Everett, 22. Martyn Reilly, 31. Daniel Igbiedion

Tries: Brown (3), Walshaw (6), Morton (15,71), Potts (64), Igbinedion (68),

Goals: Sykes 2/6

Sin-Bin: Igbinedion (47) for dangerous tackle.

Penalty Count: 11-8   Half-Time: 10-16   Referee: Mike Mannifield   Att: 555

Progressive Score: 0-4,0-10,6-10,6-16,10-16,16-16,22-16,28-16,29-20,29-24,29-28.

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