MIDLANDS HURRICANES 6 SWINTON LIONS 24
IAN RIGG, Avery Fields, Saturday

GAV RODDEN’s early double helped fire Swinton to a first away league victory of the season.

Just their third win of the campaign also completed a double, following the 28-10 home win over Midlands last month which ended their long winless start.

The Lions brought in two young players from Wigan on loan in Kalum Rathbone and Mike Porter, and they slotted in well and made a big impression off the bench.

But plenty of good work was done early, as Swinton raced into an 18-0 lead in the opening 23 minutes.

The Lions made an excellent start to the game when pressure on the line in the third minute involving Tom Ratchford and Jordy Gibson saw Rodden go over on the left for the opener and Gibson added the conversion. 

Midlands were trying to get back into the game but ball handling was letting them down, and Swinton went further ahead when, after Trent Kelly-Duffy went close, Josh Eaves found a gap out of dummy-half to score and again Gibson converted. 

The Lions then forced a couple of goalline drop-outs before Matty Chrimes went close for the Hurricanes. 

Another drop-out to the Lions on 20 minutes saw Aaron Lynch go close before Rodden found another gap to score and Gibson again converted. 

Todd Horner then made a good break away from his own line to get into the Lions’ 20 and Brandon Moore was twice held up. James Woodburn-Hall was also unlucky not to score when a defender knocked the ball down in the build-up.

There were also a couple of chances at the start of the second half for Midlands, but instead Ellis Anderson put the Lions further ahead by going over in the corner and Gibson made it four from four with the tee.

Rathbone thought he was getting his first Swinton try on 52 minutes but was help up under the posts. 

The Hurricanes finally got on the scoreboard a couple of minutes later when Chrimes went close and Aidan McGowan went over at the next play the ball. Sully Medforth added the conversion.

A few more chances came Midlands’ way afterwards, but really the game was already gone. McGowan went close again but was knocked into touch going for the corner.

Both sides in the later stages were having a go but good defence was on show. Medforth was trying to create things for his side but the Lions were up to the task.

An incident was placed on report with five minutes left when Harry Higham made an allegation of spitting to the official.

GAMESTAR: Jordy Gibson totally controlled Swinton’s performance.

GAMEBREAKER: The Ellis Anderson try for the Lions just after the break put them in command.

MATCHFACTS

HURRICANES
1 Todd Horner
2 Matty Chrimes
3 Ryan Johnson
21 Zach Jebson
23 Aidan McGowan
30 James Woodburn-Hall
19 Sully Medforth
15 Elliot Morris
9 Aiden Roden
10 Tyler Dickinson
11 Tom Wilkinson
12 Oliver Roberts
14 Brandon Moore
Subs (all used)
16 Zeus Silk
20 Toby Warren
22 Cian Tyrer
28 Isaac Shaw

Tries: McGowan (54)
Goals: Medforth 1/1

LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
3 Ellis Anderson
4 Aaron Lynch
20 Adam Jones
5 Harry Higham
21 Tom Ratchford
36 Jordy Gibson
8 Samy Kibula
9 Josh Eaves
10 Ben Killan
11 Gav Rodden
12 Aaron Willis
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
Subs (all used)
15 Jamie Reddecliff
18 Bobby Shingler
32 Kalum Rathbone
38 Mike Porter

Tries: Rodden (3, 22), Eaves (8), Anderson (45)
Goals: Gibson 4/4

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18; 0-24, 6-24

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hurricanes: Zeus Silk; Lions: Jordy Gibson

Penalty count: 6-3
Half-time: 0-18
Referee: Carl Hughes
Attendance: 330