Match Report – Keighley Cougars vs Swinton Lions

25 April 2022

KEIGHLEY COUGARS 30

SWINTON LIONS 0

IAN RIGG @ Cougar Park

Another bad weekend for the Lions going down to a heavy defeat to the unbeaten Cougars who have not looked back since the Lions defeated them in the warmup game a couple of months ago.

Coach Rhys Lovegrove has got his side playing some impressive rugby and, in this game the defensive effort was equally as good.

The home side took the lead in the first minute when the Lions were penalised for a high shot right in front of the posts and Jack Miller kicked the early points. Scott Murrell was causing the Lions defence all kinds of trouble with his attacking plays and on ten minutes he sent a stab kick towards the Lions line with Dan Abram racing onto it in his in goal but as he was tackled, he lost the ball and Cougars fullback Lewis Young reacted fastest to collect the loose ball and score with Miller converting from close range. Three minutes later they were in again when Miller went over from close range and added the conversion too to stretch the lead.

The Lions had a rare attack just before the half hour when Jose Kenga was held up under the posts, but the chance went, and Cougars further increased their lead four minutes from the break when they won a scrum on thirty metres and the ball moved swiftly to the right with Mo Agoro breaking a tackle on the wing and racing away unopposed to score by the posts with Miller again converting to give his side a twenty-point lead 

The Lions came out much better at the start of the second half but lost Richard Lepori to a head knock after just four minutes when he was injured in a tackle chasing a ball. Then came a few chances with Paddy Jones, and Rhodri Lloyd playing his 150^th Lions game being held up and then Jayden Hatton chased a Kieran Rush kick for the corner, but the bounce was too strong for him. Nick Gregson was sent to the sin bin on fifty-three minutes for holding down in the tackle and while he was off Jayden Hatton had another chance only to be knocked into touch as he went for the corner and just seconds before Gregson was about to come back from his sin bin the Cougars scored again when Charlie Graham went through a huge gap to score by the posts and Miller converted again. Three minutes later they were in again when a long pass found Agoro to score his second in the corner, but Miller failed with the boot this time. In the final eight minutes Jayden Hatton had two more good chances but the Cougars defence would not let him pass and Deane Meadows was also sent to the din bin. The Lions now get two weeks off to recharge their batteries before taking on London Skolars at home.

LIONS:

Abram, Butt, Roberts, J.Hatton, Lepori, Gregson, Rush, Spencer, Waterworth, L.Hatton, Lloyd, Cox, Meadows. SUBS: Wilkinson, Kenga, Charnock, Jones.

Penalties: 11-10 Half-time:  0-20 Attendance:  1233 Referee: Brad Milligan