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4 weeks ago
21 March 2023
IAN RIGG Heywood Road, Sunday
Rovers kept up their unbeaten run but were made to work hard for the points against a Lions side that never gave up the fight. The Lions fielded three St Helens players on dual registration and two from Salford Reds who arrived on a two week loan. Rovers took the lead after four minutes when a good passing movement saw Gareth Gale cross in the left corner and Riley Dean added the conversion. Rovers were having difficulty controlling the ball in the early stages and Brad Day bombed a chance on the left before on thirteen minutes Kyle Evans finished off a move to score in the right corner but the conversion attempt sailed wide. The Lions hit back on twenty-two minutes when Jordy Gibson sent out a nice pass for James Greenwood to score to the right of the posts and Dan Abram converted. Matty Wildie then had a chance but he knocked on in the Lions twenty and this chance was quickly followed when Lions hooker Josh Eaves was held up. Joey Leilua then blew a chance when he threw a pass into touch with a couple of minutes to the break, but they did score with a minute left when Josh Hardcastle went over on the left and Dean added the conversion.
The start to the second half was error strewn when the Lions knock on from the kick and then Craig Kopczak knocked on in the next set in a good position. Leilua was sent to the sinbin on forty-six minutes for obstruction, but the Lions were unable to capitalise when the first attack broke down. Rovers went further ahead on fifty minutes when Thomas Lacans raced in from thirty metres to score near the corner, but Dean was off target with the conversion. Rovers then had a couple more attacks on the Lions line, but some great defence held them out. Matteiu Cozza was sent to the sinbin for an illegal tackle on Louis Brogan but it was the visitors who made he most of the extra man when Connor Jones went over from close range and Dean added the conversion. Greenwood made a good break from his own twenty to set up a Lions attack but this ended with them knocking on in the Rovers twenty. Evans then added his second when some good build up down the right saw Leilua put in a nice reverse pass for his winger to cut in and score near the corner but Dean was unable to convert from the touchline. Lions fullback Abram was sent to the sinbin three minutes from time for holding down after trying to stop a Rovers attack. The final try came with two minutes left when Rovers made the most of the extra man when Caleb Aekins scored in the right corner but the conversion attempt hit the posts and bounced out but they had done enough to win the game and send the fans home happy.
MATCHFACTS
LIONS
1 Dan Abram
32 Wes Bruines
2 Mike Butt
22 Andy Badrock
4 Jayden Hatton
23 Joe Lowe
7 Jordy Gibson
33 George Delaney
14 Josh Eaves
10 Kenny Baker
34 Ryan Lannon
36 James Greenwood
13 Louis Brogan
Subs (all used)
15 Jordan Case
18 Luke Cooper
35 Lewis Hall
NN Dan Norman
Try: Greenwood (22)
Goal: Abram 1/1
Sinbin – Abram (77) Holding Down
ROVERS
23 Caleb Aekins
28 Kyle Evans
21 Joey Leilua
18 Josh Hardcastle
5 Gareth Gale
25 Thomas Lacans
7 Riley Dean
17 Gadwin Springer
14 Matty Wildie
10 James Lockwood
11 Brad Day
12 Elijah Taylor
24 Mathieu Cozza
Subs (All used)
8 Craig Kopczak
9 Connor Jones
15 Jon Davies
27 Dan Fleming
Tries: Gale (4), Evans (13,75), Hardcastle (38), Lacans (50), Jones (65), Aekins (38)
Goals: Dean 3/8
Sinbin – Leilua (46) Obstruction
Cozza (62) High Tackle
Penalties: 8-7 Half-time: 6-16
Referee: Mike Smaill Attendance: 1090
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6 ,0-10, 6-16, 6-20, 6-26, 6-30, 6-34
