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Swinton Lions 34 - 36 Rochdale Hornets

Mike Floyd at Spotland
12/ 2/2008

HORNETS Northern Rail group match against Swinton Lions at Sedgley Park on Sunday afternoon wasn’t pretty but, as one long-standing Hornets’ fan said as he was leaving the ground: "There’s plenty to work on, but I’ve had more fun and enjoyment in 80 minutes than I had during all of last season."

With 13 tries and a nerve-racking denouement, few on the touchline would argue.

The visitors determined to give Swinton a comfortable lead before stirring from their slumbers in the closing stages to mount an impressive fightback. Hornets ran in four tries in the final quarter but still managed to contrive a cock-up from the restart following their final touchdown to present Swinton with a try and a chance to level the scores. Fortunately Richie Hawkyard’s attempted conversion on the final whistle sailed wide.

It was rugby à la Bobbie Goulding in terms of character and commitment, but the Hornets’ boss must have been tearing his hair out.

He was no doubt trying to work out how a team which enjoyed a completion rate of 78 per cent against Salford City Reds last week, and defended as though their lives depended upon it, could look so hapless, or should that be hopeless on Sunday. They made more errors in the first 40 minutes than in their previous two matches combined.

In a mistake-ridden first half Hornets weren’t at the races, spilling balls, attempting daft offloads, missing tackles and displaying some comic-cut defending, particularly against the kick.

Swinton could have scored with their first attack as Marlon Billy just failed to reach Gary Hulse’s kick.

It was a brief respite for Hornets as, three minutes later, Rob Ball burst through a series of weak tackles to send Hulse in near the posts. Hawkyard converted.

Ball again proved difficult to stop and on this occasion fullback Darren Bamford was the beneficiary, accepting the prop-forward’s pass to score. Hawkyard added the extras.

Hornets clawed their way back into the match as Jimmy Elston and Martin Ainscough combined to send Andrew Marsh crashing over the line. Simon Svabic tagged on the two.

The visitors then closed the gap to two points as Mark Brocklehurst put the finishing touches to a fine move.

The good work was undone when Hornets attempted an impossible offload deep in their own half and lost possession. They then conceded a penalty and they were still contemplating their navels when Liam McGovern skipped through to score. Hawkyard made it a six-pointer.

Another injudicious offload, followed in close succession by a knock-on, allowed the home team the initiative. Hornets failed to deal with McGovern’s kick and Chris Hull cantered in for a try. Hawkyard tagged on the two to give his team a 24-10 half-time lead.

No doubt the walls in the Hornets’ dressing room were reverberating during half time as Goulding had his say. It seemed to have worked as, after two minutes of the second half, Chris Spurr carved out an opening on the left for Martin Ainscough to score. Svabic converted.

Hornets, though, switched off and not for the first time they were undone by a kick, Gary Hulse putting Marlon Billy in at the corner. Hawkyard added the two to put Swinton 30-16 in front.

It was the kick up the backside Hornets needed and Ainscough, who’d had a quiet first half, burst into life. His slick cut-out pass sent Spurr racing clear to score. Svabic added the extras.

Four minutes later Eric Andrews outpaced the defence but was hauled down a yard short of the line. He had the presence of mind to lay the ball back as he tumbled and an alert Sam Butterworth picked up to dive over.

Hornets were buzzing, and with 10 minutes to go Elston and Ainscough exposed a weakness in the right-side of the home defence to send Spurr in for his second.

With the scores level both teams failed with attempted field goals until, in the 70th minute, Chris Hough tried again and his kick ricocheted off a post and behind the Swinton line. Hull appeared to have the situation under control but an enthusiastic posse of Hornets tacklers dislodged the ball and Ainscough gleefully accepted the gift for what proved to be the winning try. Hough converted.

With 90 seconds to go that should have brought an end to the drama. But Hornets finished as they started, making a complete hash of a short kick-off to give Swinton one last shout. The ball was swung wide and Billy dived in at the corner. Hawkyard, who had enjoyed an excellent day with the boot, was unable to find the target with the conversion and Hornets were home and hosed.

Match Stats

Hornets: Craig Bower, Eric Andrews, Mark Brocklehurst, Chris Spurr, Alex Brown, Martin Ainscough, Chris Hough, David Newton, Jim Elston, Mike Callan, Paul Alcock, Ian Sinfield, Simon Svabic. Subs (all used): Sam Butterworth, Craig Robinson, Mike Stout, Andrew Marsh. Tries: Marsh (20), Brocklehurst (26), Ainscough (42,77), Spurr (61,70), Butterworth (66). Goals: Svabic 3, Hough.

Swinton Lions: Darren Bamford, Barry Hamilton, Chris Hull, Dean Gorton, Marlon Billy, Richie Hawkyard, Gary Hulse, Rob Line, Craig Ashall, Rob Ball, Darren Gibson, Neil Rigby, Gary Sykes. Subs (all used): Liam McGovern, Martin Moana, Chris Tyrer, Bruce Johnson. Tries: Hulse (7), Bamford (10), McGovern (30), Hull (36), Billy (56, 79). Goals: Hawkyard, 5.

Referee: Craig Halloran (Dewsbury)
Half-time: 24-10
Penalty count: 9-11
Attendance: 625.