WHITEHAVEN 14 SWINTON LIONS 18
JORDAN WEIR, The Ortus REC, Sunday
A CONTROVERSIAL decision to deny Whitehaven an after-the-hooter penalty or penalty try was the main talking point as fans left the Cumbrian club’s first home game in eight weeks.
But regardless of that, it’s clear improvement is needed after Swinton completed a double in handing Haven their first home league defeat of the year.
The hosts were on top in the early stages of the contest and looking to put behind them an dismal showing in the second half of their previous outing at Dewsbury.
They were rewarded after 16 minutes as a dummy enabled Jack Newbegin to prise a gap to break through and touch down for his first professional try since making the step up from Millom. However Jay Weatherill failed to added the extras.
Haven’s inconsistent nature was evident from the restart as the ball was knocked on in the first set and they did not have possession for several more.
Ethan Bickerdike, more at home in the centres, was having to deputise in the halves, and Swinton’s Jack Stevens was the benefactor when Haven knocked on playing the ball before then conceding a penalty for offside.
Stevens danced around the home defence to ground the ball, and his halfback partner Reece Briers tagged on the extras.
It was back-to-back tries when Haven’s ill-discipline was once again their downfall.
A penalty for a high tackle allowed Swinton to head upfield and they spread the ball from left to right on the first play, with Ethan Fitzgerald grounding in the right-hand corner. Briers couldn’t convert but added a penalty-goal (for offside) as the half-time hooter sounded.
Swinton started the second half strongly as Stevens grabbed his second of the afternoon, charging down a Bickerdike kick which bounced perfectly for him to gather and run 35 metres untouched. Briers goaled for 18-4.
Haven hit back through two Chris Taylor tries. He was in support after a break by Bickerdike, then made the most of Connor Holliday’s offload. Weatherill converted the second, but was yellow carded on the 65th minute for kicking the ball away to thwart a quick restart.
Haven survived their spell with twelve men, and it all came down to a nervy final five minutes.
They looked to have forced a drop-out as Jamie Reddecliff was pushed back, but instead Swinton were awarded a penalty.
Then there was a melee, and as the hooter sounded, Max Anderson-Moore broke through the middle. Swinton scrambled desperately and forced play to the right. Taylor kicked over the top, and Weatherill hacked ahead and looked set to score before he seemed to be challenged off the ball, although not in the eyes of the officials.
GAMESTAR: Swinton hooker Jonny Openshaw led the Lions around the field in both of his spells, contributing massively to ending Haven’s unbeaten home league streak.
GAMEBREAKER: The final five minutes. A melee disrupted the match, then came the controversial call to not give a penalty or penalty try for an apparent pull on Jay Weatherill.
MATCHFACTS
WHITEHAVEN
5 Jay Weatherill
2 Mitchell Todd
3 Chris Taylor
17 Joe Hartley
22 Max Anderson-Moore
7 Jack Newbegin
4 Ethan Bickerdike
8 Jake Pearce
9 Ellison Holgate
10 Jordan Thomson
11 Connor Holliday
19 Rio McQuistan
13 Jack Kellett
Subs (all used)
16 Brad Brennan
14 Luke Collins
15 Mason Lewthwaite
32 Daniel Spencer-Tonks
Tries: Newbegin (16), Taylor (47, 57)
Goals: Weatherill 1/3
Sin bin: Weatherill (65) – delaying play
LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
5 Harry Higham
2 Ellis Anderson
17 Adam Jones
30 Ethan Fitzgerald
7 Reece Briers
6 Jack Stevens
20 Jamie Reddecliff
24 Jonny Openshaw
8 Adam Sidlow
22 Aaron Lynch
16 Finley Beardsworth
13 Kenny Baker
Subs (all used)
9 George Roby
15 Jordan Brown
10 Bobby Shingler
13 Kenny Baker
Tries: Stevens (27, 43), Fitzgerald (31)
Goals: Briers 3/4
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6, 4-10, 4-12; 4-18, 8-18, 14-18
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of The Match
Whitehaven: Mason Lewthwaite; Lions: Jonny Openshaw
Penalty count: 2-8
Half-time: 4-12
Referee: Tara Jones
Attendance: 556