SWINTON LIONS 12 BATLEY BULLDOGS 30
IAN RIGG, Heywood Road, Sunday

BEN REYNOLDS provided a try and five goals as Batley bolstered their bid for the play-offs.

The Bulldogs secured victory with a strong final quarter as the Swinton defence started to run out of steam.

Lions secondrow Deane Meadows was sent to the sin bin in the third minute for going high on centre Ollie Greensmith and Batley tried to make the most of their extra man.

But the home defence stood up well against a wave of attacks on their line and some poor handling also let the Yorkshire side down.

It wasn’t until the twelfth minute that they broke through, with winger Joe Burton scoring in the right-hand corner from an overlap. Halfback Reynolds landed the first of his quintet of conversions from as many attempts.

Secondrow Robson Stevens then went close before Swinton levelled with Meadows making a break supported by Wigan loanee forward Kalum Rathbone, who scored under the posts for halfback Jack Stevens to add the two.

Batley were soon turning the screw again, but they were being repelled.

Fullback Robbie Butterworth, who was popping up everywhere, had a couple of good chances, but the scores were still level at the break.

From the start of the second half, Batley were still testing the home line, but it was Swinton who took the lead when a stray pass ended up in the hands of winger Harry Higham. He broke down the right to feed his supporting centre Adam Jones, who raced in by the posts. Jack Stevens again converted.

Centre Dante Morley-Samuels went close for Swinton before Batley levelled things up when Robson Stevens crashed in by the posts and Reynolds converted.

Morley-Samuels again went close before former Swinton man Ben White, playing loose-forward, put his side ahead going over on the left, with Reynolds improving.

Batley forced a drop-out and Greensmith was held up before he added his team’s fourth try with five minutes left. Again Reynolds kicked the touchline conversion.

There was a further Swinton drop-out with a couple of minutes left and from this came the final try when a good passing movement led to Reynolds finishing off in the right corner. He tagged on the two.

GAMESTAR: Batley fullback Robbie Butterworth wasn’t a try-scorer, but he sparked many an attack.

GAMEBREAKER: The Bulldogs’ three tries in the final quarter against a tiring defence.

MATCHFACTS

LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
5 Harry Higham
20 Adam Jones
33 Dante Morley-Samuels
3 Ellis Anderson
7 Jack Stevens
21 Tom Ratchford
8 Samy Kibula
9 Josh Eaves
10 Ben Killan
11 Gav Rodden
23 Deane Meadows
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
Subs (all used)
18 Bobby Shingler
28 Dylan Trent-Duffy
32 Kalum Rathbone
38 Mike Porter

Tries: Rathbone (28), Jones (48)
Goals: Stevens 2/2
Sin bin: Meadows (3) – high tackle

BULLDOGS
1 Robbie Butterworth
2 Joe Burton
23 Felix Ellis
20 Jack Hudson
3 Ollie Greensmith
6 Ben Reynolds
28 Mitch Beedle
– Zach Fishwick
9 Alistair Leak
13 Robson Stevens
11 Dane Manning
15 Nyle Flynn
14 Ben White
Subs (all used)
18 Evan Hodgson
19 Jonah Parsons
22 Noah High
27 Ronan Dixon

Tries: Burton (12), Stevens (55), White (62), Greensmith (75), Reynolds (79)
Goals: Reynolds 5/5

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6; 12-6, 12-12, 12-18, 12-24, 12-30

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Lions: Deane Meadows; Bulldogs: Robbie Butterworth

Penalty count: 3-3
Half-time: 6-6
Referee: Carl Hughes
Attendance: 862