Match Report – Swinton Lions 22-30 Sheffield Eagles

12 July 2021

Eagles got back on the winning track but were made to fight for victory all the way right up until the last seconds of the game.

The Lions took the lead on five minutes after some good build up by Martyn Ridyard saw Rhodri Lloyd crash over on the right but the conversion attempt came back off the posts.

Eagles then tried to hit back and Rob Worrincy had a good chance down the right but some good tackles took him into touch, however they did hit back soon after when Ryan Millar went over on the left and Izaac Farrell converted to put them ahead. The Lions came back again when a loop pass from Cobi Green sent Owen Buckley over in the corner and Ridyard added the conversion.

It was the Eagles who started to look the stronger of the sides as half time approached and Aaron Brown went close only to be held up over the line and the Lions countered when Deane Meadows came onto a short pass near the line but lost control in the tackle.

Then came a double blow for the Lions defence when on the half hour Anthony Thackeray sent a super short pass to Ollie Davies and he raced away to score from thirty metres out and Farrell converted. Seven minutes later it was the same provider and the same scorer and they held an eight point lead at the break.

The second half started in the same way as the first had ended with the Eagles on the attack and Millar had a good chance but it took a good tackle from Buckley to stop his progress and the chance went.

Both defences were on top at this stage and they were cancelling out each others attacking play until Farrell put in a very nice short kick to the corner that bounced just right for Millar to pounce for his second but the conversion was missed by Farrell. Not long after he did add a penalty goal for obstruction to stretch the lead.

Millar completed his hat trick on sixty-six minutes when the ball bounced kindly for the winger to score in corner and Farrell again made no mistake with the conversion but it was the Lions who finished stronger. Firstly, Ben Heyes scored in the left corner after a good passing movement and then as the final hooter sounded Jack Hansen finished off a good move to dive in at the corner and Ridyard added the kick from the touchline.

Ian Rigg at Heywood Road

LIONS

7 Jack Hansen

38 Owen Buckley

11 Rhodri Lloyd

3 Mitch Cox

22 Geronimo Doyle

6 Martyn Ridyard

18 Cobi Green

39 Tom Spencer

9 Luke Waterworth

15 Louis Brogan

13 Will Hope

12 Nick Gregson

14 Billy Brickhill

Subs (all used)

21 Ben Heyes

24 Paul Nash

20 Tayler Brown

19 Deane Meadows

Tries: Lloyd (5), Buckley (16), Heyes (72), Hansen (80)

Goals: Ridyard 3/4

EAGLES

1 Josh Guzdek

2 Rob Worrincy

3 Connor Bower

24 Ryan Johnson

5 Ryan Millar

22 Izaac Farrell

7 Anthony Thackeray

18 Tyler Dickinson

9 James Davey

11 Brad Knowles

15 Oliver Davies

12 Joel Farrell

13 Aaron Brown

Subs (all used)

27 Travis Corion

14 Greg Burns

32 Evan Hodgson

8 Scott Wheeldon

Tries: Millar (13,58,66), Davies (31,38)

Goals: I.Farrell 5/6