Swinton Lions 28, Rochdale Hornets 24

THE Lions pulled off a determined victory in the derby match at Gigg Lane in front of a disappointing crowd.

The game started with fireworks as Sean Casey and Brad Hepi were sent to the sin-bin in the sixth minute for fighting.

Both sides had early chances with Sean Cooper going close for Hornets and Richard Henare doing likewise for the Lions but both knocked-on at the crucial moment.

Hornets took the lead in the 13th minute when they dropped out from under their own sticks and the Lions allowed the ball to bounce into touch with the referee giving head and feed to Hornets. The ball was, of course, won by the visitors and they went short side with Phil Coussons racing 75 metres to score at the other end, but Deryck Fox could not convert.

The Lions hit back within three minutes when some good build-up play saw Gavin Price-Jones crash over for the try but Watson could not convert either. Two more players went to the sin-bin in the 20th minute when Cliff Eccles and former Lion Matt Knowles were sent from the field, also for fighting, and from the resulting penalty Ian Watson put the Lions ahead.

Brad Hepi received a second stint in the bin in the 29th minute for holding down in the tackle but Hornets went back into the lead seven minutes from the break when Knowles crashed over after selling a dummy to the Lions defence and Fox added the conversion points. Mick Coult got over the Lions line on 36 minutes but he was grounded on his back. The Lions pulled back to within two points on the stroke of half-time when Wes Rogers put a kick through which Hornets winger Lee Hudson could not hold onto and the substitute dribbled the ball over the line to score in the corner. Watson was unable to convert.

The Lions went into the lead in the opening minutes of the second half when Rogers put out a slip pass for hooker Carl McCabe to race away and score by the posts, with Watson adding the goal. Henare got the Lions next try in the 44th minute when Paul Barrow sent the winger on a 45 metre dash for the line. Watson again added the conversion points to put the Lions 22-12 ahead.

Fox kicked a penalty goal for Hornets three minutes later for back-chat from the Lions and then in the 49th minute Hepi set up a try for Peter Fitzgerald who went over near the corner. Fox added a great conversion to make it 22-20.

Both teams had further chances midway through the half with Sean Casey and Steve Gartland both bombing certain tries for the Lions and Cooper one for the Hornets.

Rochdale went back into the lead 10 minutes from time when a good move on the sixth tackle saw substitute Steve Marsh go over for a try in the corner but Fox could not convert from the touchline and it was the Lions who snatched victory when Welsby sent ex-Hornet Paul Stevens over near the corner. Watson added the conversion points.

LIONS - Welsby, Henare, Stevens, Evans, Billy, Watson, Cleary, Blease, McCabe, Eccles, P.Barrow, Price-Jones, Casey. Subs: Gartland, Cushion, Hill, Rogers.

HORNETS - Wilde, Hudson, Coussons, Cooper, Bunce, Fitzgerald, Fox, Knowles, Shaw, Aston, Cameron, Coult, Hepi. Subs: Marsh, Hall, McKinney, Sculthorpe.

ATTENDANCE - 1,048.

Referee - Ronnie Laughton (Barnsley).

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