Match Report – Swinton Lions 32-34 London Broncos

06 September 2021

The Broncos might have got the two points, but they will know they were in a contest after a fantastic second half fight back by the Lions.

It was a bad start for both sides as both teams were unable to hold the ball for the first three sets of the game, but the Lions capitalised on the Broncos second set when they lost the ball and some pressure saw Jack Hansen go over on the right, Martyn Ridyard was unable to convert.

It got even better for the Lions on ten minutes when Lewis Hatton ran onto a nice short pass to score under the posts and Ridyard this time converted. James Meadows then set up a try for Greg Richards who touched down by the posts and Chris Hankinson converted for London’s first score of the game.

Broncos took the lead on nineteen minutes when Pat Moran scored by the posts after a penalty was given away by Sam Brooks for a shoulder off the ball and Hankinson converted to put his side ahead.

The Lions went back into the lead on twenty-six minutes when Ridyard scored after a kind bounce and also converted but again this did not last long as the Broncos came back strongly with Abbas Miski scoring in the corner again converted by Hankinson from the touch line. It got better for the visitors as they ran in two more tries in a three minute period with Sadiq Adebiyi and Gideon Boafo both going over before the break with Hankinson converting one of them to give his side a twelve point advantage at half-time.

The Lions started much better after the break, Luke Waterworth had a great effort in the early minutes but again the ball just went away with the line open and then Boafo added his second try after some good build up by Dan Hindmarsh with Hankinson again converting.

The Lions were playing the better rugby in the second half and Ronan Michael went close just before a good break by Rhodri Lloyd which set up a try under the posts for the supporting Mike Butt and Ridyard converted.

Lloyd then pulled off a try saving tackle on Tuoyo Egodo before Ridyard set up a try for Ben Heyes with a measured kick for the corner that the winger won the race to score and Ridyard converted off the touchline.

There were six points in it with twelve minutes to go and the Lions had chance after chance but some good defence by the Broncos held them out with Butt, Mitch Cox and Billy Brickhill all going close. Eventually the defence was breached when Luis Roberts crashed over in the right corner but the touchline conversion attempt from Ridyard landed just to the right of the posts and with two minutes left it looked like Geronimo Doyle had snatched the victory but he was held up as he went for the left corner.

Ian Rigg at Heywood Road

LIONS

22 Geronimo Doyle

21 Ben Heyes

1 Mike Butt

39 Reece Hamlett

25 Luis Roberts

6 Martyn Ridyard

7 Jack Hansen

8 Sam Brooks

9 Luke Waterworth

10 Lewis Hatton

11 Rhodri Lloyd

3 Mitch Cox

14 Billy Brickhill

Subs (all used)

12 Nick Gregson

15 Louis Brogan

13 Will Hope

40 Ronan Michael

Tries: Hansen (4), Hatton (10), Ridyard (26), Butt (57), Heyes (66), Roberts (77)

Goals: Ridyard 4/6

BRONCOS

3 Chris Hankinson

17 Abbas Miski

23 Josh Hodson

4 Will Lovell

20 Gideon Boafo

1 James Meadows

21 Rian Horsman

10 Greg Richards

9 Matty Fozard

31 Pat Moran

13 Josh Walters

25 Jacob Jones

16 Dan Hindmarsh

Subs (all used)

28 Titus Gwaze

11 Sadiq Adebiyi

16 Jordan Williams

2 Tuoyo Egodo

Tries: Richards (16), Moran (19), Miski (29), Adebiyi (32), Boafo (35,51),

Goals: 5/6