NEWCASTLE THUNDER 34 SWINTON LIONS 10
PHIL WORLD, Crow Trees, Saturday
SWINTON coach Anthony Murray can take heart from the way his side executed their game plan to stifle high-flyers Newcastle.
For counterpart Graham Steadman, there will be frustrations as Thunder were far from their fluid best in attack, but some credit has to go to Swinton for that.
The sides played out a physical contest on a windy Tyneside, with Newcastle getting the win as expected but with an unusually high error count.
That being said, a start of three tries in the opening 17 minutes – all converted by Myles Harrison – meant they were always in control of the score.
Andy Djeukessi found his way to the corner to touch down for the first, then Jordan Lipp broke and found Thunder captain Will Roberts to score.
Lipp was provider again when he found King Vuniyayawa, who powered over to see Newcastle finish the first quarter 18-0 in the lead.
Swinton then upped their physical intensity through the likes of Trent Kelly-Duffy and while they threatened the Thunder line, it held firm.
Roberts then produced a nice kick to force a goalline drop-out at the other end, but the Lions’ defence showed bravery.
Newcastle’s final score of the half came as Roberts grabbed his second of the game after good combination work from Harrison and Djeukessi, giving the Tynesiders a 22-0 half-time lead.
Murray’s side came out all guns blazing in the second half and the game got heated as the teams came together a couple of times.
But Lipp scored a nice solo effort on 46 minutes to extend Newcastle’s lead, and things looked ominous for Swinton when two more tries followed before the hour mark.
Lipp found Joe Law who powered over for deserved try for his performance, and shortly afterwards Noah Whittingham got on the end of a grubber kick to score.
Harrison missed the conversions in the wind but Thunder led 34-0 going into the final quarter and would’ve looked to kick on and put the Lions to the sword.
Swinton showed real heart and character though, and scored two deserved tries of their own in the last quarter.
After Patrick Ah Van intercepted a loose Newcastle pass, the ball was recycled to Harry Higham who found the corner.
Then Ah Van put in a huge kick and while Thunder thought it had been knocked on in the air, Aaron Lynch reacted quickest to score and Tom Ratchford converted well in the wind.
That final try saw the two teams come together in confrontation again, an appropriate end to a good battle.
GAMESTAR: Will Roberts ran the game for Newcastle and helped himself to two tries in a mature performance.
GAMEBREAKER: Thunder’s defence keeping Swinton out in the first half when a score could’ve made things interesting.
MATCHFACTS
THUNDER
25 Jack Smith
2 Andy Djeukessi
3 Joe Law
1 Myles Harrison
4 Jude Ferreira
27 Jordan Lipp
7 Will Roberts
32 Justin Sangaré
33 Alfie Horwell
20 Mitch Clark
8 Bailey Antrobus
22 John Sagaga
17 King Vuniyayawa
Subs (all used)
11 Harvey Reynolds
12 Noah Whittingham
15 Brenden Santi
18 Ukuma Ta’ai
Tries: Djeukessi (8), Roberts (13, 39), Vuniyayawa (17), Lipp (46), Law (53), Whittingham (59)
Goals: Harrison 3/7
LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
3 Ellis Anderson
4 Aaron Lynch
20 Adam Jones
5 Harry Higham
34 Patrick Ah Van
21 Tom Ratchford
8 Samy Kibula
9 Josh Eaves
18 Bobby Shingler
11 Gav Rodden
23 Deane Meadows
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
Subs (all used)
28 Dylan Kelly-Duffy
32 Kallum Rathbone
33 Dante Morley-Samuels
38 Mike Porter
Tries: Higham (70), Lynch (80)
Goals: Ratchford 1/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 22-0; 26-0, 30-0, 34-0, 34-4, 34-10
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Thunder: Will Roberts; Lions: Trent Kelly-Duffy
Penalty count: 5-2
Half-time: 22-0
Referee: Carl Hughes
Attendance: 194