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Match Report – Sheffield Eagles 28-34 Swinton Lions

13 September 2021

The Lions put in a stunning performance at the Keepmoat Stadium to claim their second victory of the season.

They got off to a great start after five minutes when some great passing across the line saw Luis Roberts dive over in the left corner for the opener, but Martyn Ridyard playing his three hundredth career game was unable to convert from the touchline. Five minutes later Nick Gregson latched onto a Sam Brooks pass to score under the posts and Ridyard made no mistake with the conversion.

Eagles hit back with a well worked try on fourteen minutes when Tyler Dickinson scored by the posts and Izaac Farrell added the conversion.

Eagles’ playmaker Anthony Thackeray had to leave the field with what looked like a dead leg just after this try and was never to return but it was the home side who went ahead on twenty-four minutes when Joel Farrell went over from close range and his brother added the conversion to put them ahead.

The next Eagles try came from Rob Worrincy when the Lions were forced into a goal line drop out, Ridyard’s kick sailed straight into touch and from the play the ball ten metres out a long pass found the soon retiring winger to dive over in the corner but this time the conversion attempt from Farrell struck the posts and bounced out. This gave Sheffield a six-point advantage at the break.

The Lions started well again in the second half and Mitch Cox went very close to scoring having just returned from a HIA check, but it was Eagles who went further ahead when Swinton made a ball handing error near the Eagles line and winger Olly Butterworth swept up a stray pass to race eighty metres to score under the posts and Farrell converted this one.

From this point on the Lions took control of the game, with Reece Hamlett scoring his first Swinton try in the right corner and Ridyard added the conversion from the touchline.

Two more efforts from the Lions could have resulted in tries with firstly Mike Butt being held up on fifty-five minutes and then two minutes later Roberts crossed in the corner only to be brought back for a forward pass. However, the Lions did score on sixty-three minutes when a kick from Roberts bounced up nicely for the supporting Lewis Hatton and he fed the ball to Mitch Cox who raced in under the posts and Ridyard converted as the scores were locked. Hamlett then almost created a second for the impressive Cox but again the pass was judged forward.

The Lions then took the lead on sixty-nine minutes when it was Cox the creator this time to send Geronimo Doyle over in the right corner and again Ridyard converted off the touchline. Three minutes later they were in again when some good build up play saw Hatton crash over under the posts and Ridyard converted this one too.

With two minutes left Ridyard attempted a drop goal, but the ball sailed wide and as the final hooter sounded the well beaten Eagles got over again with Joel Farrell scoring his second and Izaac adding the conversion. The Lions fans were ecstatic as the team went over to thank them after the game.

Ian Rigg at the Keepmoat Stadium

Lions:

Doyle, Hamlett, Lloyd, Butt, Roberts, Ridyard, Hansen, Brooks, Waterworth, Hatton, Gregson, Cox, Hope. (Subs) Brogan, Brickhill, Jones, Michael.

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