ROCHDALE HORNETS 22 SWINTON LIONS 53
02 August 2022
IAN RIGG Crown Oil Arena, Sunday
The Lions continue hot on the heels of the promotion contenders with a sparkling eight try performance against local rivals Hornets in a game that saw three Hornets in the sin bin, and one sent off.
Hornets took the lead on four minutes when Kieran Rush made a telling break down the middle and from the play the ball Aiden Roden crashed over from close range with Rush converting. Gavin Bennion was sent to the sin bin for a tip tackle four minutes later and the Lions made him pay heavily for this when within a minute Dan Abram finished off scoring under the posts and converting to level the scores and the second try came on twelve minutes when Jack Hansen kicked at forty-twenty and on the second tackle George Roby burrowed his way over from close range and Abram again converted. The Lions third try came just as Bennion was returning to the field and it was Roby the provider this time when he sent Billy Brickhill twisting and turning over the line to score and again this was converted. Hansen forced a goal line drop out on twenty-minutes and within one more set they were over again this time Jordan Case finishing off a move by Abram and Roby with Abram again converting. Abram kicked a penalty on the half hour for a high shot by Joe Taira in the tackle and they were flying. Zac Baker was sent to the sin bin for a tip tackle nine minutes from the break and while he was cooling his heels a lovely fast passing movement saw Max Roberts score on the left but Abram could not convert this one and in the last couple of minutes of the half Sean Penkywicz went close and lost the ball and from this the Lions quickly moved up field and Abram side stepped Lewis Sheridan to score under the posts and he also added the conversion.
Within three minutes of the start of the second half Nick Gregson sold a dummy at acting halfback to dive over in the right corner and Abram made no mistake from the touchlines. Abram converted a penalty for a high tackle on fifty-one minutes and three minutes later they were in again when Case scored his second after good work by Matty Wilkinson again with a conversion tagged on by Abram. Hornets then hit a two-minute purple patch midway through the half when firstly Sheridan took a short pass to score under the posts and then Ben O’Keefe finished off a nice move on the right, but Rush could only add one conversion.
Ben Forster was sent off for an illegal tackle on sixty-three minutes and two minutes later Fuifui MoiMoi was sent to the sin bin for dropping on Deane Meadows in the tackle and Abram converted the resulting penalty. With twelve minutes left there was a long break in play which saw Jy Hitchcox carried off on a stretcher. Hansen added a drop goal with three minutes left but it was Hornets that scored last on the hooter when Cian Tyrer scored in the corner, but Rush could not convert.
MATCHFACTS
HORNETS
7 Lewis Sheridan
32 Rob Worrincy
3 Ben Calland
38 Ben O’Keefe
40 Jy Hitchcox
36 Kieran Rush
37 Rangi Chase
39 Pat Moran
28 Aiden Roden
10 Gavin Bennion
24 Ben Forster
11 Zac Baker
12 Paul Brearley
Subs (all used)
26 Sean Penkywicz
8 Foifoi MoiMoi
13 Joe Taira
2 Cian Tyrer
Tries: Roden (4), Sheridan (58), O’Keefe (60), Tyrer (80)
Goals: Rush ¾
Sin-bin: Bennion (8) Tip-Tackle
Baker (31) Tip-Tackle
MoiMoi (65) Dissent
Sent-off: Forster (63) Illegal Tackle
LIONS
1 Dan Abram
28 Jayden Hatton
12 Mitch Cox
4 Max Roberts
31 Brad Holroyd
6 Lewis Else
7 Jack Hansen
16 Louis Brogan
30 George Roby
10 Lewis Hatton
13 Nick Gregson
23 Jordan Case
15 Billy Brickhill
Subs (all used)
14 Matty Wilkinson
17 Jack Spencer
20 Deane Meadows
18 Paddy Jones
Tries: Abram (9,39), Roby (13), Brickhill (18), Case (22,54), Roberts (32), Gregson (43),
Goals: Abram 10/11
Drop-Goal: Hansen -1
Penalties: 5-12 Half-time: 6-36
Referee: Aaron Moore
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0,6-6,6-12,6-18,6-24,6-26,6-30,6-36,6-42,6-44,6-50,12-50,16-50,16-52,16-53,22-53
