League And Cup Double..?!

May 12, 2011 17:20

So, Swinton provided the only Cup shock of the weekend too! Unbelievable stuff, here's what the Salford Advertiser got:



Swinton Lions will now face the Super League leaders and Cup holders Warrington Wolves in the last sixteen of the Challenge Cup as their excellent 2011 season took yet another upturn.

The Lions defeated Dewsbury Rams from the division above 44-38 to provide the only real shock of Round 4 in a tumultuous game which featured point-a-minute scoring and a handful of cards from referee Jamie Leahy.

Swinton deservedly claimed their place in Round 5 but were millimetres from throwing it away as centre Elliot Cosgrove was held on his back on the Lions’ line as the hooter sounded at Ram Stadium!

Dewsbury were fortunate Swinton let them back in the game after a scorching start threatened an even more sensational scoreline.

Within five minutes, Martin Ainscough had broken the Rams’ line and fed the supporting Ian Mort who went under the posts.

Remarkably enough, the same pair combined down the same side minutes later, this time Mort aimed for the corner handing it on to Richard Flooks to score.

Mort was running riot and he made another skilful stepping run through moments later, only to see his effort rightly ruled out for obstruction from a dummy runner.

Dean Thompson then had a try cancelled out after knocking on over the line, not to worry though as Swinton scored a special soon after, Rob Spicer dropped a Dominic Brambani pass, Phil Joseph scooped it up, fended off a couple and launched Dodd down the sidelines from forty yards out.

Brambani though was showing what a talented playmaker he was and it was his bomb hauled in by Pat Walker amidst a crowd near the posts that initiated the Rams’ comeback.

Brambani sneaked over for Dewsbury’s next try and when Ian Watson’s kick was cleanly caught by Pat Walker who swiftly moved it to Austin Buchanan for the winger to sprint in from eighty metres out, the totals were level but the momentum was with the home side.

Swinton were incensed when Jimmy Walker appeared to get away with being on placed on report following an elbow on Darren Hawkyard which saw the second rower leave the field and not return.

The Lions drew energy from the injustice and following typically blockbusting drives by Joseph and Lee Wingfield, Watson slipped a sly inside ball to send Tommy Gallagher charging over, Mort kicked his fourth goal out of four.

Swinton didn’t hold onto the lead till the interval though as Spicer evaded a trio of weak tackles to score from close range, Brambani also made it four goals out of four.

Still there was drama, as Watson picked out his second 40-20 of the half catching Dewsbury by surprise and the Rams desperately defended their line as time ran out.

Defences tightened up in a nervy opening to the half, typified as both sides booted a restart out on the full, Brambani then gladly kicked a penalty when Gallagher was spotted ball stealing.

The game also got tetchier as it went on, with at least three brawls of varying size, the first one started when Watson and Luke Blake fought, leading to another Brambani penalty being converted into points.

Swinton reassumed the lead when Joseph forced his way through the Dewsbury ranks; Mort on his way to another perfect day goalkicking converted and then plumped the Swinton score further as the Rams were caught out ballstealing.

Joseph again showed what a dangerous player he is, as he smashed his way over from a few yards out. Then the Lions gave the ball some air, Mark Smith scooting through a gap, drawing the full back Scott Turner and sending in Wingfield, Mort stretched the lead to sixteen points.

However, the biggest fracas of the day, which ran for longer than some sitcoms and was put on report as well, resulted in Dewsbury’s Pat Walker taking ten minutes’ off with Watson of Swinton joining him on a yellow but Dale Cunniffe was sent off for his part in proceedings.

With eleven versus twelve, Dewsbury and especially Brambani began to find holes to play with; firstly he flicked a pass wide to send in Buchanan with time still on the clock.

He then stubbed the first conversion miss by either side wide after a sublime individual run through the Lions’ defence in injury time.

The scrum half and the Rams once again managed to get the ball down the field on the back of Lions’ penalties but Swinton defiantly prevented a final grounding of the ball and just, held on to celebrate with their fans in the blazing sunshine!

Swinton: 21. Ian Mort, 2. then 39. Rob Foxen, 3. Gavin Dodd, 4. Dean Thompson, 20 Richard Flooks, 7 Ian Watson, 6. Martin Ainscough, 8. Mike Morrison, 9. Mark Smith, 12. Lee Wingfield, 15. Darren Hawkyard, 11. Dale Cunniffe, 13. Phil Joseph.

Subs: 25. Karl Ashall, 16. Neil Holland, 10. Dana Wilson, 14. Tommy Gallagher.

Dewsbury: 4. Scott Turner, 2. Michael Wainwright, 32. Eliot Cosgrove, 13. Ayden Faal, 5. Austin Buchanan, 6. Pat Walker, 7. Dominic Brambani, 23. Luke Menzies, 9. Luke Blake, 10. Keegan Hirst, 11. Rob Spicer, 12. James Lockwood, 15. Josh Tonks.

Subs: 22. Johnny Horton, 33.Matthew Tebb, 19. James Walker, 36. Brooke Broughton.

Referee: Jamie Leahy

Attendance: 692

MOTM: Swinton: Ian Mort, Dewsbury: Dominic Brambani.

journalism, rugby league

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