LONDON BRONCOS 66 SWINTON LIONS 18
IAN RIGG, Richmond Athletic Ground, Saturday

LONDON fielded a much-changed team but still ran twelve tries past Swinton in a game that ended with a brawl and two red cards.

For the last regular league game of the season, only Jack Croft and Sadiq Adebiyi backed up from playing in the Broncos’ 1895 Cup triumph against Widnes five days earlier.

But it was a familiar story of domination for the League Leaders’ Shield winners, the only interruption being a fight in the final minutes which saw Swinton’s Jordan Brown and London debutant Will Jones both sent off after punches were thrown.

Liam Tindall set the tone when he opened the scoring in the fourth minute in the right corner and Ted Davidson added the first of nine successful conversions.

The one-way flow continued four minutes later when Adebiyi crashed over, and two more tries quickly followed in impressive fashion from Henry Lenthall, another player making his first senior appearance, and Sam Davis.

Swinton hit back on 20 minutes when the impressive Gav Rodden went on a run to set up Trent Kelly-Duffy under the posts and Reece Briers converted.

But Tindall grabbed his second three minutes later after a break down the right, and this was quickly followed when Alex Max went over after good play by Jones.

Seven minutes before the break Samy Kibula scored under the posts in reply and Briers converted, but the Broncos added another on the stroke of half-time when Marcus Stock, who was causing all sorts of problems for the Lions defence, scored by the posts.

Swinton started the second half on the attack, only for Max to scoop up a loose pass and race 80 metres the other way for his second try, which was made a hat-trick on 51 minutes.

There was some heroic tackling on display from the Lions as Broncos tried to break them again, and eventually they did score with Lenthall adding his second.

On the hour came Swinton’s third try, when Rodden scored on the right and Briers converted again.

However, Stock capped off a fine performance on 66 minutes by going in for a second time by the posts.

The Lions were still trying and Patrick Ah Van almost scored in the corner but the kick was too strong.

With just a minute to go came the big fight which flared up twice and saw referee Adam Williams produce a red card to Brown and Jones.

Once the game restarted, the Broncos finished it in style when former Lion Tommy Porter raced in under the posts.

GAMESTAR: Marcus Stock gave a super performance of power and aggression.

GAMEBREAKER: London’s quick start, scoring 24 points in the opening quarter.

MATCHFACTS

BRONCOS
27 Ted Davidson
35 Will Jones
33 Henry Lenthall
4 Alex Max
5 Liam Tindall
12 Jack Croft
31 Jamie Hewson
17 Marcus Stock
9 Sam Davis
19 Ben Hursey
21 Will Lovell
15 Sadiq Adebiyi
34 Rob Oakley
Subs (all used)
28 Bobby Hartley
29 Jake Ramsden
30 Tommy Porter
39 Fin Hay

Tries: Tindall (4, 23), Adebiyi (8), Lenthall (13, 56), Davis (17), Max (26, 41, 51), Stock (36, 66), Porter (80)
Goals: Davidson 9/12
Dismissal: Jones (79) – fighting

LIONS
7 Jack Stevens
34 Patrick Ah Van
11 Gav Rodden
39 Aaron Lynch
3 Ellis Anderson
6 Reece Briers
30 Rhyley Hyde
18 Bobby Shingler
9 Josh Eaves
22 Jordan Brown
25 Charlie McCurrie
28 Dylan Kelly-Duffy
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
Subs (all used)
8 Samy Kibula
15 Jamie Reddecliff
21 Tom Ratchford
38 Mike Porter

Tries: T Kelly-Duffy (20), Kibula (33), Rodden (60)
Goals: Briers 3/3
Dismissal: Brown (79) – fighting

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 24-0, 24-6, 28-6, 34-6, 34-12, 40-12; 46-12, 50-12, 54-12, 54-18, 60-18, 66-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Broncos: Marcus Stock; Lions: Gav Rodden

Penalty count: 8-5
Half-time: 40-12
Referee: Adam Williams