Swinton Lionesses  58          Rochdale Hornets  0

18 July 2022

Alan Dixon at Heywood Road

Swinton Lionesses emphatic victory against Rochdale Hornets in the heat at Heywood Road, keeps them unbeaten in the league. For the second game running they kept their opponents scoreless.

The Lionesses got off to a dream start. Having been awarded a first minute penalty, the ball was moved across field to Maddie Higson who broke through the Rochdale defence to score. Georgia Cunliffe hit the post with the conversion attempt. From the restart, the ball went to Ellie Thirkell who rounded the defence to race 70 metres to the line to score. This time Georgia Cunliffe added the extras and the Lionesses led 10-0 after 3 minutes. 

Rochdale couldn’t get out of their own half as the Lionesses dominated possession. After a penalty for a hair pull in the 13th minute, the ball was moved out to Mia Atherton to score. Georgia Cunliffe converted and the Lionesses led 16-0. Rochdale knocked on in their own half and from the resulting scrum, the ball was moved to Mia Atherton who ran 30 metres to score under the posts. Georgia Cunliffe converted. From the restart, the ball was moved across for Maddie Higson to run 70 metres to score under the posts. Georgia Cunliffe converted to make it 28-0 after 22 minutes. 

Rochdale started to pressurise the Lionesses line, bit the defence held out.  A last tackle high ball by the Lionesses in the 37th minute, was knocked back into the hands of Izzy Birds who scored under the posts. Georgia Cunliffe converted. From the kick off, the ball was moved up field and a short pass by Ashley Deas put Mia Atherton through a gap to score a 50 metre try under the posts. Again Georgia Cunliffe converted and the Lionesses led 40-0 at the break.

Rochdale started the better in the second half. They thought they had scored in the 42nd minute but, Summer Harris lost the ball over the line. The Lionesses drove the ball away from their own line and a nice pass from Georgia Cunliffe to Ashley Deas got them over half way. From the play the ball, Mia Atherton broke through the Rochdale tackles to run 40 metres to score by the posts for her fourth try. Rochdale went back on the attack. Good defence by the Lionesses made sure that Steph Hillen was held up over the line.

Play was stopped for a head injury to Patrycja Baranek on 60 minutes. Once play resumed, Georgia Cunliffe put in a high kick. Rochdale’s full back Libby Hadfield missed the ball and it bounced into the hands of Abbie Parkes-Holden who touched down at the side of the posts. Georgia Cunliffe converted to make it 52-0. The Lionesses went on the attack again from the kick off. A long pass by Georgia Cunliffe sent Catherine Sweeney away on a 30 metre run down the wing. From the play the ball, Georgia Cunliffe went over but lost control of the ball as she tried to score. Swinton kept the pressure on the Rochdale line and in the last minute Chloe Birkett cut through the Rochdale defence to score under the posts. Georgia Cunliffe converted to make the final score 58-0.

Teams :

Swinton Lionesses : Maddie Higson, Izzy Birds, Mia Atherton, Daisy Pearson, Catherine Sweeney, Ashley Deas, Ellie Thirkell, Abbie Parkes-Holden, Eve Ashcroft, Emily Haley, Chloe Birkett, Rebecca Roden, Georgia Cunliffe. SUBS : Patrycja Baranek, Leah Christian, Molly Ross, Morgan Corrigan, Chloe Latham, Jo Mullins, Maddie Corrigan

Tries : Higson (1,22), Thirkell (3), Atherton (13,18,39,54), Birds (37), Parkes-Holden (60), Birkett (79)

Goals : Cunliffe 9

Rochdale Hornets : Libby Hadfield, Millie Harris, Chloe Mansell, Summer Harris, Claire Sutcliffe, Wendy Garforth, Holly Hilton, Tammy Murphy, Steph Hillen, Sam Plant, Sam Brazier, Georgia Turner, Harriet Widdup. SUBS : Beth Harris, Connie Cullen, Armani Khaliq, Harriet Jackson

Referee : Jimmy Fallon

Pens : 7-7                  Half Time : 40-0