Lions roar past Eagles

03/07/2023

Despite holding a 10-22 half-time lead, the Sheffield Eagles came away from Greater Manchester empty handed on Sunday afternoon.

A Matty Dawson-Jones double and tries from Tyler Dickinson and Anthony Thackeray gave the Eagles a two-score lead at the break and a mountain for the Lions to climb.

The Eagles opened the scoring within the first minute; a knock-on direct from kick off, then a penalty proved too much pressure for the Swinton defence, as Tyler Dickinson barged over for the score.

Aston converted from the tee.

Swinton hooker George Roby came up with the response eight minutes later as he barged over the line to score. Gregson converted to bring the game level.

The Sheffield lead was restored when Matty Dawson-Jones dived over in the corner, following a slick scrum move which opened up the Lions line.

Aston’s kick from outside was unsuccessful.

The Lions brought the game back level once again through Mike Butt; the Welsh winger touching down a grubber to the corner on his return to action. Gregson’s missed kick meant the score remained 10-10.

Moments after being introduced to the action from the bench, returning skipper Anthony Thackeray showed his class with a silky sequence to score. The half-back dummied pass fooled the Swinton line before he stepped past full-back Romeo to touch down to the side of the posts. Aston’s kick made it 10-16.

Four minutes before the half-time hooter sounded, Swinton’s Jordan Case was sent to the sin-bin for a late challenge. The Eagles made the most of the extra man and scored through Dawson-Jones again; this time Thackeray’s looped pass found the wide-man who went in untouched. Aston converted the kick from a tight angle to give Sheffield a 10-22 half-time lead.

HALF-TIME: SWINTON LIONS 10-22 SHEFFIELD EAGLES

An opening period of nothingness ended when Swinton stand-off Nick Gregson stepped past the Eagles defence to bring the Lions closer.

Gregson missed the kick from the side of the post.

The next action of note came when Tyler Dickinson was sin-binned for a late hit, in a similar-looking incident to Case’s in the first half.

Three minutes after being put down to 12 men, the Eagles’ defence was broken by Roby who went in for his second.

The hooker’s attempted grubber rebounded straight into his lap, as the youngster dived over to bring the hosts within two points, following Gibson’s conversion.

Swinton got points on their next foray upfield; Gibson kicked a penalty goal from infront to bring the game level, following a high shot. 

Good play from the hosts saw Spedding pen Jones-Bishop in-goal following a kick downfield, Swinton hit the front in the following set of six.

Full-back Joey Romeo dived over from dummy-half, two minutes from time to put the Lions ahead for the first time in the contest. Gibson converted for 28-22.

The hosts claimed the short kickoff attempt and soon made their way upfield for the final points of the day; a strip attempt with more than one in the tackle was penalised by the officials. Gibson converted the penalty goal following the sounding of the full-time hooter.

FULL-TIME: SWINTON LIONS 30-22 SHEFFIELD EAGLES

By Lewis Coleman, photo by Jake Borrill