SWINTON LIONS 6 FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 34

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