INCE ROSE BRIDGE 26 SWINTON LIONS 44
IAN RIGG, Pinfold Street, Saturday

SWINTON will play Wakefield in the next round of the Challenge Cup – but only after surviving an almighty scare.

Ince Rose Bridge gave Swinton a tough game on their own patch and led by eight points on the hour mark, but the Championship side showed their superior fitness to finish the game strongly and book their place in round three.

Bridge, who will compete in the National Premier Division this season, started strongly and had the better of the early attacks, forcing the Lions into a couple of handing errors.

They proved costly when Boyd Wilson exploited a gap to score the opener on five minutes and Mason Fillingham added the simple conversion.

More pressure was applied by Ince before the Lions levelled the scores when Harry Higham flew in at the corner and Jack Stevens converted. 

Jamie Reddecliff was held up for Swinton, but two minutes later his side where ahead when Tom Ratchford collected a loose Bridge pass to score under the posts, Stevens again converting.

Five minutes later the scores were level again when Bridge substitute Kallem Rodgers scored with his first touch and Fillingham kicked the simple conversion.

It got even better for the home side on 23 minutes when Gareth Jones finished a move to score in the left corner, where Fillingham missed his only goal attempt.

The Lions tried to hit back and had a bit of pressure on the Bridge line, but the defence frustrated them time after time. 

In the last minute of the half, following a Ratchford break down the right, Bridge were awarded a penalty with Fillingham converting to give them a six-point advantage at the break.

What Lions coach Paul Wood said to his side will stay in the dressing room but it worked, as they scored just 36 seconds into the second half as Gav Rodden broke to send Higham in for his second try and Stevens converted to lock the scores again at 18-18.

But Bridge went on the attack once more and were back into the lead in the 51st minute when Kyle Malone scored on the left after pressure on the line and Fillingham converted. 

The lead was stretched to eight points three minutes later, Fillingham landing a penalty for offside. 

A big turning point in the match came on 56 minutes when Jones broke away down the left for Bridge and looked a certain scorer until a super tackle from Trent Kelly-Duffy stopped him ten metres from the line. 

This seemed to turn a corner for the Lions. Higham had a good chance down the left but was tackled to touch, however they did hit back when Rodden made a break to set up Louie Roberts on the left.

Stevens missed the conversion, but Roberts added his second on 68 minutes after good passing and the goal edged Swinton 28-26 ahead.

Rodden and Roberts combined with ten minutes left to send Ellis Anderson over on the left, and Stevens converted again. 

Bridge sub Eli Steinberg was held up before the Lions went further ahead with three minutes left when Adam Jones collected a loose pass to score his first points for the club.

A Rodden try, charging down a kick, and Stevens goal finished the scoring as the hooter sounded on an enthralling tie.

GAMESTAR: Tom Ratchford controlled most things in the middle.

GAMEBREAKER: A superb tackle by Trent Kell-Duffy on Gareth Jones when Bridge were in control.

MATCHFACTS

BRIDGE
1 Mason Fillingham
2 Callum Hughes
3 Ryan Wood
4 Peter Valentine
5 Gareth Jones
6 Kieron Eccleston
7 Matt Gaskell
16 Boyd Wilson
9 Byron Aspinall
10 Craig Sanby
11 Casey Shaw
12 Scott Finney
13 Kyle Malone
Subs (all used)
14 Eli Steinberg
15 Keegan Boyd
17 Kallem Rodgers
18 Jack Morrison

Tries: Wilson (5), Rodgers (19), Jones (23), Malone (51)
Goals: Fillingham 5/6

LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
2 Connor Parkinson
20 Adam Jones
3 Ellis Anderson
5 Harry Higham
7 Jack Stevens
21 Tom Ratchford
18 Bobby Shingler
9 George Roby
15 Jamie Reddecliff
4 Aaron Lynch
11 Gav Rodden
13 Kenny Baker
Subs (all used)
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
22 Jordan Brown
27 Lucas Coan
28 Jimmy Shields

Tries: Higham (8, 41), Ratchford (14), Roberts (61, 68), Anderson (70), Jones (77), Rodden (80)
Goals: Stevens 6/8

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 6-12, 12-12, 16-12, 18-12; 18-18, 24-18, 26-18, 26-22, 26-28, 26-34, 26-38, 26-44

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Bridge: Mason Fillingham; Lions: Tom Ratchford

Penalty count: 4-10
Half-time: 18-12
Referee: Denton Arnold
Attendance: 1,017