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ST HELENS RESERVES 24 SWINTON LIONS 32

23 January 2023

IAN RIGG​ Ruskin Drive, Sunday

The young Saints team put in a great performance in freezing conditions to give the Lions a tough work out in their second warm up game. The game was moved from the Totally Wicked Stadium owing to a frozen pitch and the fans turned out in good numbers. The Lions took the lead virtually with their first attack following a penalty on their own half they moved down field and Gav Rodden went over on the right following a good passing movement with Nick Gregson adding the conversion but the young Saints side hit back with and forced the Lions to defend their own line for three sets twice forcing goal line drop outs. They did level the scores on sixteen minutes when Jayden Hatton seemed to lose control of the ball near his own line and Will Roberts picked up the loose ball to race in at the corner and he also landed the conversion from the touchline. The game was fairly even with both teams having good periods before Gavin Bennion scored under the posts from close range for the Lions and Gregson again converted. This try was quickly followed by a second from Rodden after a good break from Mike Butt up the left side but this time debutant Joey Romeo tried the conversion but the kick sailed wide. The impressive Roberts grabbed a second for his side two minutes from the break when he chipped the ball through a gap in the Lions defence and chased it to regather and score under the posts and then add the conversion.

Both sides were making constant changes and it was a good run out for everyone and it was the Lions who scored first in the second half when another good passing movement saw trialist Callum Hughes cross in the left corner but Dan Abram who had taken over the goal kicking sent his conversion wide. It looked like the Lions were going to pull away when Morgan Burgess twisted his way over the line on forty-nine minutes and Dan Abram added this conversion. Wes Bruineswas held up on fifty-eight minutes before a ball handling error down then left by Saints just after the hour lost them a chance to score. Another attack down the left by the Lions forced a goal line drop out but they could not capitalise and it was the home side who scored next when Keane Gilford set up a nice ball for Ciaran Nolan to score by the posts and Dan Moss added the simple conversion and it got even better for the home side with four minutes to go when Bruines raced sixty metres to score under the posts and Moss again added the conversion to bring his side within two points of the Lions and sniff a chance of victory but Kenny Baker scored under the posts for the Lions with a minute left on the clock after selling a big dummy  to the defence and Abram converted as the referee blew the final whistle. Saints are the Lions dual registration partners for the coming season and there are some very talented young players coming through the ranks.

MATCHFACTS

SAINTS

 1 Harvey Braddish

 2 Keane Gilford

34 Wesley Bruines

 4 Dayon Sambou

 5 Alfie Whittle

 6 Dan Moss

 7 Will Roberts

 8 Lewis Baxter

 9 Jake Burns

10 George Delaney

11 McKenzie Buckley

12 Alfie Pyke

13 Kalan Devine

Subs (all used)

14 Ciaran Nolan

15 Nathan Bannerman

16 Leunbou Bardyel-Wells

17 Leon Cowen

33 Eliot Peposhi

19 Brett Bailey

31 Kelvin Ojeaburu

30 Logan Milne

Tries: Roberts (16,38), Nolan (71), Bruines (76)

Goals: Roberts 2/2

​Moss 2/2

LIONS

26 Joey Romeo

24 Myles Harrop

22 Andy Badrock

 3 Jake Spedding

 4 Jayden Hatton

 6 Nick Gregson

23 Joe Lowe

10 Kenny Baker

14 Josh Eaves

15 Jordan Case

11 Rhodri Lloyd

16 Gav Rodden

18 Liam Cooper

Subs (all used)

 1 Dan Abram

 2 Mike Butt

28 Callum Hughes

29 Anthony Dyne

19 Ollie Olds

20 Morgan Burgess

 9 Luke Waterworth

 8 Gavin Bennion

12 Mitch Cox

13 Louis Brogan

25 Scott Parnaby

Tries: Rodden (3,28), Bennion (25), Hughes (42), Burgess (49), Baker (79)

Goals: Gregson 2/2

​Romeo 0/1

​Abram 2/3

Penalty count:​1-6​Half-time: 12-16

Referee: Matthew Lynn​​

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6,6-6,6-12,6-16,12-16,12-20,12-26, 18-26,24-26,24-32.

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