DEWSBURY RAMS 26 SWINTON LIONS 6
IAN RIGG, FLAIR Stadium, Sunday
A STRONG second-half performance by Dewsbury in very damp conditions secured valuable points against high-flying Swinton, allowing them to maintain their challenge for a top-four place.
After a relatively even first half, the Rams were able to pull away for a comfortable victory in the second.
Ellis Anderson had a good chance for the Lions on three minutes going for the corner, but his inside pass landed with a Rams defender.
Matt Garside went close for the Rams on eight minutes with the line open, but the pass was forward.
Kenny Baker then got in the Rams’ twenty for the Lions, but he lost the ball in the wet conditions.
The Rams finally took the lead on thirteen minutes when George Senior followed a kick to score on the left, but Jacob Hookem was unable to convert.
Some good Lions pressure then followed, but the Rams’ defence held out, before the Rams lost the ball trying to get over the line.
The Lions were causing the Rams’ defence lots of problems, but they were finding all the answers until a huge knock-on by Craig McShane put the Lions in the Rams’ twenty and from the scrum the defence eventually cracked when Anderson crashed in at the corner and Jack Stevens converted from the touchline.
More Lions pressure came to nothing before Louie Walker thought he was scoring collecting a kick and heading for the line, but a superb tackle from Jake Davies made him lose control of the ball.
The Rams did, however, score in the dying seconds of the half when Dan Coates sent Jamie Gill over on the right and Hookem converted as the hooter sounded for the break.
The Rams made a strong start to the second half, putting the Lions under pressure and forcing a goal-line drop-out on their opening set.
Hookem extended the Rams’ lead on 44 minutes, converting a penalty for a high shot in front of the posts.
George Roby made a 70-metre break on 48 minutes but he ran out of support and he was tackled ten metres out.
Gav Rodden then had a chance from the next play but ended up being tackled into touch.
Hookem further extended the Rams’ lead on 53 minutes for another illegal tackle.
They exerted more pressure on the Lions’ line on 65 minutes and this was self-inflicted when Anderson and Louie Roberts messed up the restart on the twenty. From this Rams moved the ball quickly before Caelum Jordan went over on the right and Paul Sykes converted this one.
The Lions had a chance with ten minutes to go but Ethan Fitzgerald could not get over in the corner again after more good defence.
The Rams completed the victory with seven minutes left when some good passing saw Louie Walker cross in the left corner and Sykes converted from the touchline.
GAMESTAR: Jamie Gill was very strong off the bench and drove the ball in well.
GAMEBREAKER: Caelum Jordan’s try with 14 minutes remaining put the Rams 14 points ahead.
MATCHFACTS
RAMS
30 Craig McShane
27 Tom Delaney
3 Caelum Jordan
4 George Senior
25 Louie Walker
6 Dan Coates
7 Jacob Hookem
11 Joe Summers
28 Tyran Ott
19 Jack Briggs
15 Keenen Tomlinson
12 Matt Garside
13 Dec Tomlinson
Subs (all used)
26 Paul Sykes
36 Jamie Gill
8 Jackson Walker
29 Eliot Peposhi
Tries: Senior (13), Gill (38), Jordan (66), L Walker (73)
Goals: Hookem 3/4, Sykes 2/2
LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
2 Ellis Anderson
22 Aaron Lynch
4 Jayden Hatton
30 Ethan Fitzgerald
6 Jack Stevens
14 Jordan Paga
8 Adam Sidlow
9 George Roby
33 Alfie Sinclair
11 Gav Rodden
36 Jake Davies
13 Kenny Baker
Subs (all used)
15 Jordan Brown
10 Bobby Shingler
16 Finley Beardsworth
7 Reece Briers
Tries: Anderson (29)
Goals: Stevens 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6, 10-6; 12-6, 14-6, 20-6, 26-6
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rams: Jamie Gill; Lions: George Roby
Penalty count: 10-5
Half-time: 10-6
Referee: Kevin Moore