NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 48 SWINTON LIONS 22
IAN RIGG, Stadiwm Eirias, Saturday

NORTH WALES claimed their first points of the season with a nine-try performance against Swinton, who are still yet to get off the mark in the league.

Experienced halfback Dec Patton was to the fore in helping the Crusaders come out much the better of what was an end-to-end tussle.

The Lions started brightly with Ellis Anderson held up in the left corner inside four minutes, but it was North Wales who went ahead on eight minutes.

After an obstruction near the line and from the penalty pressure, Mark Ioane burst under the posts with Patton converting.

It got better on twelve minutes when Brad England brushed through some tackles to score on the left and Patton again converted.

Patton then kicked a 40/20, and Lions winger Ethan Fitzgerald was judged to have knocked on attempting an intercept. From the scrum came more pressure on the line, and Jayden Hatton crossed on the right for 16-0.

Swinton hit back on 22 minutes when Finlay Irwin broke tackles to score his first points for the club under the posts and Reece Briers added the conversion.

But within four minutes the Crusaders were in again when Jordy Gibson kicked for the left corner to find Luke Forber.

The Lions were coming strong in the latter stages of the half and made the defence work hard to keep them out with Jack Stevens having the best chance of closing the 20-6 deficit.

Swinton also started the second half with promise and George Roby was held just short, but like in the opening period it was the Crusaders who got the points on the board when Patton sent Chris Barratt in by the posts and added the conversion.

They went back-to-back as two minutes later Joe Baldwin found a big gap on the right to score and Patton added his fourth and final goal.

Some good play by the Lions came to nothing and a penalty put North Wales in a good position for Greg Eden to score in the corner.

Tom Bridge then cut inside for a further try on 63 minutes, with Gibson successfully taking over kicking duties.

Although the game was now gone, the Lions were not lying down and hit back on 65 minutes when Stevens sent Trent Kelly-Duffy under the posts and Briers converted.

With five minutes left, Patton put out a lovely pass for Pat Moran to score the hosts’ ninth try, Gibson again converting.

But the Lions were still going forward strongly too and both Fitzgerald and, after a Crusaders fumble, Harry Higham scored in the final couple of minutes, the latter improved by Briers.

GAMESTAR: Some lovely ball handling from Dec Patton provided the tries.

GAMEBREAKER: A very good first half from the Crusaders put them in command.

MATCHFACTS

CRUSADERS
1 Lloyd Roby
20 Tom Bridge
3 Jayden Hatton
23 Greg Eden
5 Luke Forber
6 Dec Patton
7 Jordy Gibson
16 Mark Ioane
9 Josh Eaves
10 Chris Barratt
25 Brad England
12 Cole Oakley
13 Pat Moran
Subs (all used)
14 Joe Baldwin
18 Junior Westwood
8 Ant Walker
17 Ashton Robinson

Tries: Ioane (8), England (13), Hatton (17), Forber (26), Barratt (44), Baldwin (46), Eden (56), Bridge (63), Moran (75)
Goals: Patton 4/7, Gibson 2/2

LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
24 Ethan Fitzgerald
5 Harry Higham
4 Aaron Lynch
3 Ellis Anderson
7 Jack Stevens
6 Reece Briers
18 Bobby Shingler
21 Tom Ratchford
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
12 Aaron Willis
33 Gav Rodden
13 Kenny Baker
Subs (all used)
9 George Roby
31 Finlay Irwin
28 Jimmy Shields
26 Charlie McCurrie

Tries: Irwin (22), Kelly-Duffy (65), Fitzgerald (78), Higham (79)
Goals: Briers 3/4

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16-0, 16-6, 20-6; 26-6, 32-6, 36-6, 42-6, 42-12, 48-12, 48-16, 48-22

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Crusaders: Dec Patton; Lions: Jack Stevens

Penalty count: 7-7
Half-time: 20-6
Referee: Kevin Moore