Match Report – Batley Bulldogs 26-12 Swinton Lions

31 May 2021

The Bulldogs got back to winning ways with a strong second half performance down the slope that took the game away from the Lions after such a good performance in the first half.

The Lions made a great start with a short kick off which put them straight on the attack, and within fifty seconds Mitch Cox found a gap in the Bulldogs defence to go through to score his third try in three matches but Martyn Ridyard could not convert from the touchline.

It could have been better for the Lions on seven minutes when Jack Hansen broke clear but his final pass to Luis Roberts fell behind him and into touch. Bulldogs then had two good chances with Jodie Broughton going for the left corner and being tackled into touch and then Adam Gledhill got over the line but was grounded on his back.

Luke Hooley should really have scored on twelve minutes when former Lion Ben White sent him through a gap by the line but he could not hold the pass and the ball ran dead.

The Lions went further ahead a minute later when Nick Gregson broke through to send a reverse pass to Sam Brooks who touched down for his first try for the club and Ridyard added the simple conversion. The Lions were looking strong attacking the Bulldogs line but it was the home side who scored next when Alistair Leek went close and from the play the ball Ben Kaye dived over for the try and Dale Morton converted. And as the half time hooter sounded Ridyard tried to add a drop goal but that sailed wide.

Bulldogs made the best start to the second half when the Lions lost the ball in their own ten metres and it finished with James Brown scoring under the posts with Morton adding the conversion. Despite the conditions there were lots of ball handling errors and the Bulldogs were continuing to pressure the line, however it was the Lions who drew level on the hour when they received two penalties in a row and on the second one Ridyard stroked over a nice thirty metre penalty goal from near the touchline. Five minutes later Morton put the Bulldogs in the lead from in front of the posts when Luke Waterworth was sent to the sin bin for an off the ball tackle on Tom Gilmore.

Bulldogs then took control of the game in the final eight minutes when they introduced Elliot Hall at fullback and he created a try in the corner for Broughton and Morton converted off the touchline. With two minutes left Alistair Leek found a nice gap to score by the posts and Morton again converted to cement the victory.

Ian Rigg at The Fox’s Biscuits Stadium 

Batley

1 Luke Hooley

5 Johnny Campbell

22 Dale Morton

3 Kieran Buchanan

21 Jodie Broughton

6 Ben White

7 Tom Gilmore

8 Adam Gledhill

24 Ben Kaye

15 Jack Blagbrough

17 Josh Tonks

11 Dane Manning

13 James Brown

Subs (all used)

14 Elliot Hall

9 Alistair Leak

19 Tom Lillycrop

12 Lucas Walshaw

Tries: Kaye (24), Brown (41), Broughton (72), Leak (78)

Goals: Morton 5/5

LIONS

22 Geronimo Doyle

1 Mike Butt

3 Mitch Cox

39 Reece Hamlett

25 Luis Roberts

6 Martyn Ridyard

7 Jack Hansen

8 Sam Brooks

9 Luke Waterworth

40 Ronan Michael

11 Rhodri Lloyd

12 Nick Gregson

14 Billy Brickhill

Subs (all used)

16 Paddy Jones

20 Tayler Brown

19 Deane Meadows

18 Cobi Green

Tries: Cox(1), Brooks (13)

Goals: Ridyard 2/3