HALIFAX PANTHERS 30 SWINTON LIONS 22
EMMA KENNEDY, The Shay, Sunday

HALIFAX claimed their first home win against Swinton since 2021 in an entertaining contest.

The Panthers left it late to seal victory when the sides met last month and did so again on their home turf, a late Darius Carter penalty-goal and a converted Ben Crooks try seeing them over the line.

The Lions, who headed into the match hoping for a third consecutive away win, started on the front foot.

They thought they had scored the opening try early on, but Louie Roberts was adjudged to have knocked-on over the line.

Instead, it was Halifax who broke the deadlock with six minutes played, capitalising on a goal-line drop-out, then a penalty for offside.

The visitors did well to hold Connor Davies up over the line but were powerless to stop Adam O’Brien from darting out of dummy-half between the posts, Carter landing the first of his five goals from six attempts.

Finlay Irwin went close on his return from injury as Swinton looked for an immediate response but, helped by their opponents’ ill-discipline, Halifax continued to look the more threatening.

Vila Halafihi and Jacob Fairbank were both held up before Alfie Johnson rose highest to a chip to the left corner and grounded the ball, only for referee Matty Lynn to rule the effort out for a push.

The visitors drew level in the 21st minute, Jordy Gibson displaying some dribbling that wouldn’t go amiss at football’s World Cup before crashing over on the left edge and duly converting to pass 100 points in Swinton colours.

However two tries in three minutes enabled Halifax take control of proceedings.

On 27, a neat passing move released Ben Tibbs, who proved too strong for Patrick Ah Van as he twisted his way across into the right corner, before Jenson Windley played in fellow substitute Will Calcott, who barged over from close range next to the posts.

Carter converted the latter, opening up a 10-point lead for the hosts.

Swinton responded with a double substitution, including handing a debut to Wigan loanee Leo Wadsworth, but trailed 16-6 at the break.

Halifax looked to pick up where they left off in the second half after a neat link-up down the right, but neither Carter nor Johnson could ground a teasing crossfield kick as it bobbled in-goal.

But the hosts’ ill-discipline began to rear its head, and after they had been penalised close to their line, Mike Porter needed no second invitation to twist his way over under the posts for Swinton, handing Gibson a simple conversion.

Halifax extended their lead again on 50 minutes, Jesse Soric sending Leon Cowen through a gap in the Swinton defence. Carter converted.

Windley thought he had added his name to the scoresheet in similar fashion shortly after, but his effort was disallowed for obstruction.

That galvanised the visitors, a quick burst of tries helping draw them level by the 64th minute.

First Ah Van claimed Reece Briers’ crossfield kick to score out wide, then Irwin somehow grounded the ball on the left edge, despite the best efforts of three Halifax defenders, Gibson converting to make it 22-22.

But the scores were level for just four minutes, the hosts wasting no time in calling for the tee after Tibbs’ marauding run won a penalty on the 20-metre line. Carter kicked the goal.

Halifax then showed composure to withstand some late pressure before Crooks went over on the right edge in the 75th minute, Carter adding the two.

GAMESTAR: On-loan Castleford player Jenson Windley was everywhere for Halifax, controlling much of their play.

GAMEBREAKER: Darius Carter’s 68th-minute penalty-goal gave the Panthers a 24-22 lead, stopping Swinton’s momentum.

MATCHFACTS

PANTHERS
5 Lloyd Roby
2 Ben Tibbs
11 Ben Crooks
22 Darius Carter
4 Alfie Johnson
6 Jesse Soric
20 Vila Halafihi
23 Leon Cowen
9 Adam O’Brien
21 Ben Forster
15 Connor Davies
10 Jonny Vaughan
13 Jacob Fairbank
Subs (all used)
3 Ben Will
8 Will Calcott
19 Zack McComb
– Jenson Windley

Tries: O’Brien (6), Tibbs (27), Calcott (30), Cowen (50), Crooks (75)
Goals: Carter 5/6

LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
34 Patrick Ah Van
4 Aaron Lynch
20 Adam Jones
5 Harry Higham
6 Reece Briers
36 Jordy Gibson
8 Samy Kibula
9 Josh Eaves
18 Bobby Shingler
26 Charlie McCurrie
12 Aaron Willis
31 Finlay Irwin
Subs (all used)
21 Tom Ratchford
28 Leo Wadsworth
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
38 Mike Porter

Tries: Gibson (21), Porter (45), Ah Van (58), Irwin (64)
Goals: Gibson 3/4

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 10-6, 16-6; 16-12, 22-12, 22-16, 22-22, 24-22, 30-22

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Panthers: Jenson Windley; Lions: Jordan Gibson

Penalty count: 11-8
Half-time: 16-6
Referee: Matty Lynn
Attendance: 1,429