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Lionhearts shock Dale

Claire Mooney
17/ 2/2005

Northern Rail Cup
Swinton Lions 20
Rochdale Hornets 14

SWINTON started the 2005 season all fired up with a gutsy win over first division Rochdale.

It was a new-look Lions side, albeit with the welcome return of influential scrum-half Ian Watson and winger Marlon Billy and last season's big hope Danny Heaton back from injury.

But new boys Stuart Oldham, Paul Southern and especially Phil Joseph and Lee Marsh already looked an integral part of the team as they out-played the visitors.

Swinton, well marshalled by Watson, kicked astutely, defended manfully and took their chances skilfully, none more so than man-of-the-match Marsh.

The only concern for Paul Kidd was ill-discipline which saw three players - Watson, Chris Maye and Heaton - sent to the sin bin in separate incidents.

Twelve-man Swinton took the lead when Marsh's well-timed pass sent Maye over. Hornets hit back through Cantillon and a Lee Birdseye penalty handed Rochdale a half-time lead.

But the determined Lions were in no mood to collapse and tries from Marsh and Wayne English put the hosts in control.

Chris Campbell replied for the Hornets but the impressive Marsh's second try secured a well-deserved victory.

SWINTON: English, Oldham, Patterson, Maye, Billy, Coates, Watson, Southern, Joseph, Rogers, Heaton, Sinfield, Marsh. Subs: Ayres, Russell, Speakman, Whittaker. Tries: Maye, Marsh, English. Goals: Marsh 2.

ROCHDALE: Alstead, Giles, McCully, Varkulis, Campbell, Birdseye, Braddish, Leathem, McConnell, Price, Gorski, Doran, Farrell. Subs: Hodgkinson, Butterworth, Newton, Cantillon. Tries: Cantillon, Campbell. Goals: Birdseye 3.

Ref: S. Nicholson.

Att: 685.