SWINTON LIONS 6 WAKEFIELD TRINITY 82
IAN RIGG, Heywood Road, Sunday
MAX JOWITT led the points charge with 34 as Wakefield progressed with some well-created tries and impressive goal-kicking from the fullback, who landed 13 out of 14.
The game also marked an historic day for referee Tara Jones, who took her first game involving a Super League club.
It is 100 years since the Lions last won the Challenge Cup, and they were up against it from the start.
Trinity opened the scoring in the fourth minute, when Will Tate notched in the right-hand corner and Jowitt set the tone for his efforts from the tee by converting from the touchline.
This was quickly followed by a Jay Pitts try by the posts after Swinton failed to make ten metres at the restart.
Josh Rourke bagged a brace in a five-minute spell, flying in at the left corner twice after rapid ball movement. Jowitt’s sole missed conversion followed the first of those.
Wakefield forced a goal-line drop-out on 20 minutes and Jake Trueman scored on the right after good play by Tyson Smoothy.
Swinton had a good spell but couldn’t break the line because the visitors’ defending was so good.
Smoothy added the next try ten minutes from the break, going in from close range, and there was still time for two scores in the final three minutes of the first half.
Matty Storton found a loop pass to score and as the hooter sounded, Jowitt was sent in by Cameron Scott.
Wakefield were put in a good position just after half-time when Swinton gave away two penalties in close succession and Scott took advantage, both times from assists by Jowitt, who then nailed his second try on 47 minutes, finishing off a good passing movement.
Swinton came strong again with Tom Ratchford causing the Wakefield defence some issues but they again held out despite giving away two goal-line drop-outs.
Caius Faatili was then held up and from the play-the-ball, Corey Hall found his way over in the left corner.
The biggest cheer of the afternoon came on 68 minutes when Swinton debutant Finley Irwin burst through a gap to draw Jowitt and hand the ball on to Trent Kelly-Duffy, who scored under the posts for Reece Briers to convert.
Storton added his second from close range with six minutes to go and with just seconds left, claimed a hat-trick by backing up a break to go in by the posts.
GAMESTAR: Wakefield fullback Max Jowitt covered plenty of ground for his 34-point haul.
GAMEBREAKER: Three tries in the first ten minutes for Trinity, who were simply too strong and powerful, although Swinton never gave up.
MATCHFACTS
LIONS
2 Connor Parkinson
24 Ethan Fitzgerald
5 Harry Higham
4 Aaron Lynch
3 Ellis Anderson
7 Jack Stevens
6 Reece Briers
18 Bobby Shingler
21 Tom Ratchford
15 Jamie Reddecliff
12 Aaron Willis
11 Gav Rodden
13 Kenny Baker
Subs (all used)
14 Jonny Openshaw
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
23 Deane Meadows
31 Finlay Irwin
Tries: Kelly-Duffy (68)
Goals: Briers 1/1
TRINITY
1 Max Jowitt
23 Josh Rourke
3 Cameron Scott
4 Corey Hall
32 Will Tate (D)
6 Jake Trueman
7 Mason Lino
15 Caleb Hamlin-Uele
9 Tyson Smoothy (D)
18 Isaiah Vagana
11 Seth Nikotemo
12 Matty Storton
14 Jay Pitts
Subs (all used)
16 Caius Faatili
17 Harvey Smith
24 Tray Lolesio (D)
25 Jordan Williams (D)
Tries: Tate (4), Pitts (6), Rourke (10, 15), Trueman (20), Smoothy (30), Storton (38, 74, 80), Jowitt (40, 47), Scott (43, 45), Hall (62)
Goals: Jowitt 13/14
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-16, 0-22, 0-28, 0-34, 0-40, 0-46; 0-52, 0-58, 0-64, 0-70, 6-70, 6-76, 6-82
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Lions: Trent Kelly-Duffy; Trinity: Max Jowitt
Penalty count: 4-6
Half-time: 0-46
Referee: Tara Jones
Attendance: 918