Featherstone Rovers 58 Swinton Lions 12: Lions mauled as Rovers bounce back in some style

FEATHERSTONE scored 42 unanswered second-half points in a 10-try win that lifted them to fourth place in the Championship.
Kyran JohnsonKyran Johnson
Kyran Johnson

Jordan Baldwinson and Danny Craven each grabbed two tries as Rovers recovered excellently from their 37-0 mauling against Halifax at Blackpool’s Summer Bash.

Kyle Briggs was also a key contributor with a try and seven goals as Rovers climbed above Bradford Bulls in the table. Baldwinson put Rovers ahead with his first try in the fourth minute when he powered over from Briggs’ pass.

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Swinton replied when Jake Shorrocks sent in Nick Gregson but Rovers regained the lead when Baldwinson bagged his second try.

Rovers’ Bradley Knowles Tagg and Swinton’s Shaun Robinson were sin-binned after a 22nd minute flare-up. The Lions levelled a minute later when Liam Marshall went in the the corner and Chris Atkin added his second goal with a touchline kick.

Swinton’s hopes of only their second win at Featherstone in 53 years then suffered a double blow. They lost their best player when lively hooker Anthony Nicholson was carried off injured and quickly fell behind again when Briggs made the opening for Craven’s first try.

Swinton’s second-half collapse started after they conceded two consecutive penalties which resulted in John Davies crossing to put Rovers further ahead.

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Jamie Cording and Briggs then went over before Craven finished a lovely move to bag his second.

Swinton’s Matty Beharrell was sin-binned in the 69th minute for interference at the play-the-ball and Featherstone capitalised fully on the extra man. Kyran Johnson grabbed a superb 55-yard solo try before Davies created late tries for Knowles-Tagg and Ian Hardman that Craven goaled.

Featherstone: Craven, Johnson, Hardman, Cording, Blockley, Briggs, Thackeray, Griffin, Ellis, Baldwinson, Spears, Davies, Knowles-Tagg. Subs (all used): Roche, Ormondroyde, Bostock, Ward.

Swinton: Fell, Robinson, Littler, Hallett, Marshall, Atkin, Shorrock, Bracek, Nicholson, Austin, Lloyd, Gregson, Thornley. Subs (all used): Beharell, Dwyer, Hand, Johnson.

Referee: Tom Grant.

Attendance: 1,381.