SWINTON LIONS 4 NEWCASTLE THUNDER 36
IAN RIGG, Heywood Road, Sunday

NEWCASTLE put in an impressive performance to leave Swinton still looking for their first points of the season. 

Former Sunshine Coast halfback Cody Hunter shone all game after putting his side ahead in the sixth minute when he finished a nice move by the posts and Jack Smith converted. 

Only four minutes passed and Hunter was in again after the Lions made a handing error in their own ’20’, again under the posts, with Smith again converting. But the impressive Harry Higham got the Lions on the board after he finished off a good movement on 18 minutes, though Tom Ratchford could not convert. 

Thunder hit back straight away in the next set when Taylor Pemberton exploited a gap to score but Smith missed this conversion. 

Swinton then had a couple of good attacks, but handling errors let them down in good positions. Thunder’s response saw Sam Cook and Brenden Santi held up on consecutive tackles. But they did get over at the third attempt when some good line pressure saw Cook cross by the posts and Smith converted this one. 

Then, with just seconds to go before the break, winger Brad Ward finished off a good move to score on the right. Smith was off target with the conversion attempt as the hooter sounded but Newcastle were well in command.

Swinton started better in the second half but a good tackle on Wigan loanee Jack Purtill stopped him just short. 

Thunder then forced a goal-line drop out but couldn’t make anything from it. And then Joe Law made a good break and looked an all-out scorer but a superb tackle from Higham took him down short. 

Newcastle came back again with another try on 51 minutes when Tom Inman darted over but again the conversion was missed. 

Lions prop Bobby Shingler was injured in a tackle on 58 minutes. The incident was placed on report and the player never returned from his assessment. 

Hunter nabbed his third try just after the hour when he went in from close range and this time Will Roberts converted. And Thunder could have scored again virtually straight after the restart but panic passing saw the ball go to ground. 

Playing for pride the Lions forced a goal-line drop out nine minutes from time and from this Saints loanee Luca Walsh went close as the Thunder defence held strong. 

Santi, who had a good game too, almost scored with seven minutes left but lost the ball going for the line. 

The final act fell to the Lions as Gav Rodden sliced though the defence in the final minute. But a good tackle just metres short by Thunder fullback Jordan Lipp stopped him just short.

GAMESTAR: Cody Hunter scored a hat-trick of tries and controlled the Newcastle attack.

GAMEBREAKER: The well-established first-half lead for Thunder.

MATCHFACTS

LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
5 Harry Higham
20 Adam Jones
36 Deacon Connolly
2 Connor Parkinson
21 Tom Ratchford
35 Luca Walsh
33 Alfie Sinclair
9 George Roby
18 Bobby Shingler
12 Aaron Willis
11 Gav Rodden
31 Finlay Irwin
Subs (all used)
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
37 Jack Purtill
15 Jamie Reddecliff
34 Samy Kibula

Tries: Higham (18)
Goals: Ratchford 0/1

THUNDER
27 Jordan Lipp
25 Jack Smith
3 Joe Law
24 Matty Foster
5 Brad Ward
6 Cody Hunter
7 Will Roberts
22 John Sagaga
9 Taylor Pemberton
15 Brenden Santi
12 Noah Whittingham
11 Harvey Reynolds
13 Sam Cook
Subs (all used)
30 Tom Inman
18 Ukuma Ta’ai
16 Leo Tennison
28 Tyler Walton

Tries: Hunter (6, 10, 63), Pemberton (21), Cook (32), Ward (39), Inman (51)
Goals: Smith 3/6, Roberts 1/1

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 4-12, 4-16, 4-22, 4-26; 4-30, 4-36

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Lions: Harry Higham; Thunder: Cody Hunter

Penalty count: 4-7
Half-time: 4-26
Referee: Aaryn Belafonte
Attendance: 649