ROCHDALE HORNETS 36 SWINTON LIONS 32
IAN RIGG, Crown Oil Arena, Sunday

ROCHDALE hit back from 20-0 down with 36 unanswered points, then held off a Swinton fightback to seal victory.

It was a fine second-half performance from Hornets which brought a fifth league victory on the back of six converted tries in all.

After Ben Killan went close for the Lions, they took the lead on four minutes when Jordan Brown scored between the posts after a goal-line drop-out and Reece Briers converted.

Ten minutes Swinton were in again when Brown claimed his second again after and Briers again added the two.

Rochdale did have chances in between, but good defence held them out.

Jordy Gibson set up the next Swinton try, sending Josh Eaves in, with Briers taking a straightforward two.

The halfback added a penalty-goal on 27 minutes after some fighting between the players to make it 20-0.

Rochdale got on the scoreboard eight minutes from the break when Jack Hansen sent Max Flanagan over and the try-scorer converted.

Then came the big turnaround, starting when some good play on 43 minutes led to Lewis Hatton crossing centrally and Flanagan goaling.

George Roby fed Deacon Connolly to score on the right and this again was converted.

And after 52 minutes, Rochdale were in again when Ethan Wood broke free to score under the posts and Flanagan made it 24-20.

The Swinton defence was being stretched more and more but Gav Rodden went close before Flanagan scored his second after side stepping through tackles, also adding the extras.

Hatton scored his second on 63 minutes after some good build-up work by Jordan Syme and again it was improved for 36-20.

Swinton were not rolling over and they struck back with 13 minutes left when Brown broke through to send Trent Kelly-Duffy between the posts and Briers converted.

There seemed to be more urgency in their attack with Rochdale struggling in the heat and Gibson forced a goal-line drop-out.

Aaron Willis went close before Samy Kibula took a short pass to score by the posts and Briers again goaled.

Now just four points behind, Swinton pushed, but the Rochdale defence scrambled well and thwarted Patrick Ah Van.

GAMESTAR: Rochdale replacement Isaac Colemen made some impressive breaks which scattered the Swinton defence.

GAMEBREAKER: Hornets’ second-half surge overturned the Lions’ interval advantage.

MATCHFACTS

HORNETS
1 Max Flanagan
2 Dan Nixon
27 Deacon Connolly
4 Junior Sa’u
22 TJ Boyd
7 Jordan Paga
25 Jack Hansen
8 Jaden Dayes
19 Luke Waterworth
23 Chris Barratt
12 Ethan Wood
9 Ross Whitmore
13 Jordan Syme
Subs (all used)
10 Lewis Hatton
14 George Roby
18 Jordan Andrade
33 Isaac Coleman

Tries: Flanagan (32, 58), Hatton (43, 63), Connolly (50), Wood (52)
Goals: Flanagan 6/6

LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
34 Patrick Ah Van
4 Aaron Lynch
20 Adam Jones
5 Harry Higham
6 Reece Briers
36 Jordy Gibson
22 Jordan Brown
9 Josh Eaves
10 Ben Killan
11 Gav Rodden
12 Aaron Willis
23 Deane Meadows
Subs (all used)
8 Samy Kibula
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
21 Tom Ratchford
26 Charlie McCurrie

Tries: Brown (4, 14), Eaves (18), Kelly-Duffy (67), Kibula (70)
Goals: Briers 6/6

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-20, 6-20; 12-20, 18-20, 24-20, 30-20, 36-20, 36-26, 36-32

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hornets: Isaac Coleman; Lions: Jordan Brown

Penalty count: 3-6
Half-time: 6-20
Referee: Kevin Moore