It Appears That We Know Exactly What Is Going To Happen... Then...

So, Swinton have a loopy few weeks, this match report is from a couple of weeks ago, since then we've visited London, been to Manchester Punk Festival and continued to try to put together a house! Hopefully more of these in other posts but actual writing first!

So, Swinton played a full time side in the report here and gave them a game for roughly half the match, soon they were to outplay a full time Super League side and WIN then draw arguably the most famous rugby team in the country, Wigan!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/39635044

What a joyous weekend that was, unprecedented jumping around at the full time whistle and a surprise extended session in Chorlton with Stevo and Julian! Glorious!

Over Easter, they won one and lost one of the local derbies, faltering up in t'hills at Oldham but edging out Rochdale Hornets in a second half that lasted for seventy minutes, thanks to injuries and numerous brawls. Plus a Rochdale sub gave the middle finger to the crowd!

Anyway, here was the preceding home game's report that I actually had to write (as the Rochdale game was Easter Monday and due to print deadlines, a report wasn't needed.):

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Swinton Lions 18 Hull Kingston Rovers 52 by Jeff Tyldesley

Hull Kingston Rovers found another gear, after finding themselves behind midway through the first half, to motor away and score the next forty two points, in the process remaining unbeaten and top of the Championship.

After a slow start, Swinton Lions showed a swathe of stylish rugby league football to take the lead before the Robins’ full time power and pace burst the banks over the Lions’ flood defences.

Rovers went ahead on their very first set, a great hit from Chris Hankinson speeding out of the line denied David Hodgson but a couple of tackles later, a quick-witted change of direction from Shaun Lunt sent the centre in anyway.

Jamie Ellis missed the opening conversion but booted one shortly afterwards when James Donaldson and Jordan Abdull both broke tackles in the build up with the latter finishing off by the posts.

Bit by bit, the Lions edged into the game with Grant Gore and Chris Atkin beginning to run amok, following a penalty against Graeme Horne, Atkin released Murphy who sent in Ben White out wide.

Next, Atkin sensationally feigned to kick, Rovers continued to back off and the Lions’ scrum half didn’t need a second invitation, racing through a huge gap before shipping the ball left for White’s second.

Despite a shot from Josh Johnson on Gore after the kick off, the injury stoppage time didn’t stop Swinton, Atkin again shredding the visitors, Mike Butt the recipient of the latest opportunity to score. Hankinson managed to miss all the kicks, the last one hitting the post and bouncing out but Swinton, outscoring the Humbersiders 3-2 on tries, still sensed an upset.

That hope was quickly extinguished though, a penalty on halfway set up KR for their next try, where Ellis dummied and crashed through tacklers and they didn’t look back. The defence tightened up considerably and there was a period of little opportunity for both sides.

It was when the fresh legs took to the pitch that Rovers pulled away; Zach Dockar-Clay made an immense difference off the bench, a try after being fed by Ellis saw him smartly dummying his way over.

The number eighteen was involved again minutes later, zipping through the Lions cover before releasing fellow replacement Nick Mulhern, a great tackle from Murphy denied them on that occasion but Rovers swept right and Donaldson went in, Ellis booted both goals and their two point deficit seemed but a distant memory.

After getting their fingers burnt in the first half, they didn’t make the same mistake with this resilient Swinton outfit again, three more KR scores followed in swift succession to secure the two points.

George Lawler and Hodgson combining for Will Oakes to bound over, Mulhern smuggled a neat ball for Nick Scruton to crash in and Donaldson finishing off more good distribution, topped off with Ellis converting all three meant that it was game over.

That’s not to say that Swinton were overwhelmed on every attack, the Lions defied Rovers on repeat sets on their own line, it was the eighteenth tackle from within ten yards of the tryline that Rovers finally scored the next one, through ex-Swintonian Ryan Shaw.

With the result certain and the vital Easter period looming, it was a cruel twist that Swinton Captain Andy Thornley was then helped off with a knee injury.

It was late that Rovers brought up the half century, Hodgson was held up on his back but a speculative pass yards backwards to Donaldson from Ellis caught Swinton off-guard and the superb angle saw him race through untouched for his hat trick.

In the very last minute, Swinton took a late consolation, Anthony Bate racing onto a flat pass at the end of a determined set, from which Atkin added the Lions’ first kicked points of the afternoon.

SWINTON LIONS

1. Jack Murphy 8
2. Shaun Robinson 7
3. Chris Hankinson 6
14. Ben White 7
21. Mike Butt 7
6. Grant Gore 7
7. Chris Atkin 8
15. Andy Bracek 8
9. Anthony Nicholson 7
19. Josh Barlow 8
11. Connor Dwyer 6
17. Oliver Davies 6
13. Andy Thornley 6

Subs:
16. Anthony Bate 7
8. Rob Lever 7
22. Luke Waterworth 6
20. Sean Kenny 6

Tries: White 17, 20, Butt 22, Bate 80. Goals: Hankinson 0/3, Atkin 1/1.

HULL KINGSTON ROVERS

2. Ben Cockayne 6
5. Ryan Shaw 7
4. Liam Salter 6
31. David Hodgson 8
27. Will Oakes 7
16. Jordan Abdull 7
7. Jamie Ellis 8
8. Nick Scruton 8
9. Shaun Lunt 8
35. Josh Johnson 6
14. Graeme Horne 7
15. James Donaldson 8
19. George Lawler 7

Subs:
18. Zach Dockar-Clay 9
21. Rob Mulhern 8
23. George Milton 6
30. Joe Cator 6

Tries: Hodgson 3, Abdull 8, Ellis 25, Dockar-Clay 35, Donaldson 37, 52, 78, Oakes 45, Scruton 48, Shaw 59. Goals: Ellis 6/10

Ref Rating: A Sweet 50/100
Half Time: 12-26
Penalties: 6-9
Sin Bins: None
Sent Off: None
Weather: Sunny and breezy
Attendance: 1,375
Man of the Match: Zach Dockar-Clay
Match Rating: 4/5
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