Swinton beat Oldham to reach Challenge Cup Round 3 and 1895 cup semi-final

29 March 2021

A strong second half performance by the Lions against a strong wind put them in the hat for the next round of the challenge cup and also earned them a semi-final place in the 1895 cup.

Swinton Lions 23-14 Oldham

It didn’t start well for the Lions as Martyn Ridyard’s kick off sailed straight dead to put Oldham on the attack straight away and they almost took the chance when Ryan Ince twice went close in the first five minutes but on both occasions the ball went loose. The Lions however came back strongly when Rhodri Lloyd broke free to feed the supporting Sam Grant who raced away for the opening try and Ridyard added the conversion.

Oldham were throwing the ball around without fear against the conditions and almost got on the board when Max Roberts broke free to feed the pass to Ince but it was judged forward and Ben Heaton also broke down the middle but was stopped by a great tackle by Mike Butt ten metres out. Eventually they did break the Lions defence seventeen minutes from the break when the impressive Danny Langtree scored in the left corner but Dan Abram could not convert from the touchline.

The Lions made the ideal start to the second half when three minutes in a lovely short pass from Luke Waterworth sent Will Hope through a huge gap and he raced away to score by the posts with Ridyard adding the conversion. Oldham were not lying down and a couple of minutes later some great pressure on the line saw Tyler Dupree go over by the posts with Abram converting this one from close range.

Ridyard increased the Lions lead on fifty minutes when he darted over from close range to score by the posts and also add the conversion. A few minutes later they were in again when Ridyard and Jack Hansen combined to send Deane Meadows racing twenty metres to score in the right corner but this time Ridyard could not convert off the touchline.

Matt Diskin would have been happy with his side as again they came back to pressure the Lions line and Martyn Reilly had a good chance but the Lions defence held true and then Shaun Pick looked like he was going over to score but the ball went free. Back came the Lions again but they blew a big chance just before the hour mark when former Oldham man Richard Lepori broke free and the inside pass to the supporting Hansen went to ground with the line open. On the next Lions set they made the game safe when Ridyard slotted over a drop goal.

It was Oldham who got the final points in the game with four minutes later when a good passing movement finished with Ben Heaton scoring in the right corner but again Abram could not add the conversion. Both sides play each other again next week in the Championship opener, available to stream live via Our League.

Ian Rigg at Heywood Road

LIONS

1 Mike Butt

2 Richard Lepori

3 Mitch Cox

5 Sam Grant

25 Luis Roberts

6 Martyn Ridyard

7 Jack Hansen

15 Luis Brogan

9 Luke Waterworth

10 Lewis Hatton

11 Rhodri Lloyd

12 Nick Gregson

13 Will Hope

Subs (all used)

24 Paul Nash

20 Tayler Brown

14 Billy Brickhill

19 Deane Meadows

Tries: Grant (5), Hope (43), Ridyard (50), Meadows (56)

Goals:  Ridyard 3/4

Field Goal: Ridyard – 1

OLDHAM

1 Dan Abram

2 Tommy Brierley

3 Ben Heaton

24 Max Roberts

5 Ryan Ince

6 Lewis Charnock

26 James Barron

17 Liam Kirk

9 Gareth Owen

13 Martyn Reilly

25 Danny Bridge

11 Danny Langtree

12 Liam Bent

Subs (all used)

16 Tyler Dupree

10 Jack Spencer

21 Shaun Pick

23 Callum Green

Tries: Langtree (23), Dupree (47), Heaton (76)

Goals: Abram 1/3

Scoring Sequence: 6-0, 6-4, 12-4, 12-10, 18-10, 22-10, 23-10, 23-14

Referee: Tom Grant