SWINTON LIONS 18 ROCHDALE HORNETS 12
IAN RIGG, Heywood Road, Sunday

SWINTON rounded off their home campaign with a hard-fought victory over their local rivals.

There was early pressure from Rochdale with former Lions player Lewis Else pulling the strings in attack, but good defence held them out.

It was Swinton who scored the opener and what a good try it was. Reece Briers set things off and sent Trent Kelly-Duffy through a nice gap to race clear and draw Greg McNally towards the tackle before offloading to Jonny Openshaw, who raced in to notch by the posts. Jack Stevens couldn’t convert, however.

Hornets’ Martyn Ridyard put in a nice kick for the line but Briers brought it clear before handing on to Gav Rodden, who broke away before feeding Frank Sergent, who was tackled just short.

There were good chances midway through the half for both sides, but the defences were doing well.

Luke Forber chased a promising opportunity on the left for Rochdale, but the kick ran away from him.

Swinton went further ahead on 26 minutes, when Rodden broke free on the left, took on McNally and beat him for speed, and raced away to score, although Stevens again missed the conversion.

Stevens did stretch the lead on 33 minutes when he kicked a penalty-goal after a high tackle.

There was more Rochdale pressure on the line before the break and more great scramble defence before Stevens landed another penalty-goal just before the hooter following an off-the-ball tackle.

Rochdale pressed further in the opening stages of the second half and Sergent did well to clear his line, just getting the ball back in the field of play.

This was the start of the next Swinton try when Rodden again got the ball on the left and fed a nice inside pass for Sergent to race away and score, although Stevens hit a post with his goal attempt.

Forber put Rochdale on the board on 52 minutes when he took a long pass to score in the left corner and Ridyard converted to put them in the fight.

After an offside ruling, Briers landed a penalty-goal to put Swinton 18-6 up.

But Rochdale responded on 66 minutes when Ridyard sent a nice kick towards the posts and Dylan Kelly-Duffy (Trent’s twin), dived on the loose ball to score. Ridyard converted.

It was all go in the final ten minutes with both sides giving it their all.

Aaron Lynch conceded a penalty for obstruction in his own 20 and Jayden Hatton intercepted a pass near his own line but got tackled.

Then Briers tried for a field-goal but it sailed wide and in the final minute, Else knocked on when handily placed.

GAMESTAR: Swinton secondrow Gav Rodden was outstanding in both attack and defence.

GAMEBREAKER: Rodden’s lovely inside pass for Frank Sergent to score early in the second half.

MATCHFACTS
LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
25 Frank Sergent
22 Aaron Lynch
4 Jayden Hatton
5 Harry Higham
7 Reece Briers
6 Jack Stevens
10 Bobby Shingler
24 Jonny Openshaw
20 Jamie Reddecliff
11 Gav Rodden
29 Trent Kelly-Duffy
13 Kenny Baker
Subs (all used)
15 Jordan Brown
9 George Roby
8 Adam Sidlow
16 Finley Beardsworth

Tries: Openshaw (8), Rodden (26), Sergent (45)
Goals: Stevens 2/5, Briers 1/1

HORNETS
1 Gregg McNally
2 Dan Nixon
14 Max Flanagan
20 Tom Ashton
5 Luke Forber
6 Martyn Ridyard
7 Lewis Else
22 Charlie McKler
36 Ross Whitmore
17 Ben Killan
33 Darcy Simpson
18 Dylan Kelly-Duffy
13 Emerson Whittel
Subs (all used)
23 Morgan Punchard
30 Issac Reid
16 Jordan Andrade
34 Elijah Simpson

Tries: Forber (52), Kelly-Duffy (66)
Goals: Ridyard 2/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 8-0, 10-0, 12-0; 16-0, 16-6, 18-6, 18-12

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Lions: Gav Rodden; Hornets: Ross Whitmore

Penalty count: 8-8
Half-time: 12-0
Referee: Aaryn Belafonte
Attendance: 963