Newly-promoted Swinton Lions took the fight rather literally to Rochdale Hornets on Sunday in a hard-bitten encounter.
It was Rochdale who had the first taste of the points, and they’d stay tantalisingly ahead of their Championship rivals as the clock ticked through.
Captain and fullback Wayne English opened the scoring against his former club from a cross-field Danny Yates kick.
Ben Moores then extended the Hornets’ lead to score under the posts.
Swinton responded with two tries in five minutes from Corbyn Kilday and Greg Scott to pull the score back to 10-12 at half time.
Just two minutes after the break Paul Crook knocked a kick towards the Lions corner and Dave Cookson outjumped his opposite number to score.
Neither side could hold on to possession for long as the ball went going back and forth with both sides cracking out big hits.
But Rochdale took the initiative with Galbraith putting Danny Yates in under the posts.
Swinton head coach John Duffy will be pleased with the way his side responded, with hard running and direct lines, but they couldn’t stop Kieron Walpole nicking an interception to score.
The Lions had enough in the tank as the game reached a close to put ex-Dewsbury winger Greg Scott over the line, bringing the total back to 24-30.
The high-tempo game was somewhat ruined by a last-minute brawl that saw Hornets forward Stu Biscomb sent off for elbowing after taking the ball into the Swinton back line.
Swinton have one more friendly to test their mettle against high-flying St Helens this Sunday 31 January before the race for the Championship begins.
Main image by Pete Green
