ROVERS DETERMINATION WINS THROUGH!

2 JAMIE STOKES - WALTON SOCIAL CLUB

3 MARTIN LAW - XTRA EXCL. LADIES FASHIONS

4 IAN THOMPSON- SKY TV

5 MATT BRAMALD - DRANSFIELD NEWSAGENTS

6 PADDY HANDLEY - RJB MINING

7 JAMIE ROONEY - LIONHEART

8 HITRO OKESENE - HEADLAND ELECTRIC

9 ANDY HEPTINSTALL - FOX & HOUNDS, THORP AUDLIN

10 BRENDON TUUTA - BIFFA WASTE

11 STEVE DOOLER - PRECISION ENGINEERS

12 NEIL LOWE - ACE ENGINERING

13 RICHARD SLATER - ISTANBUL SUPPORTERS CLUB

14 RICHARD CHAPMAN - BIFFA WASTE

15 STUART DICKENS - YORKSHIRE GEARS

16 RICHARD NEWLOVE - DRANSFIELD NEWSAGENT

17 MICKY CLARKSON - FOX & HOUNDS, THORP AUDLIN

ATTENDANCE - 943

WEATHER CONDITIONS - CLOUDY COOL

HALF TIME - SWINTON LIONS 16 ROVERS 12

FULL TIME - SWINTON LIONS 22 ROVERS 24

Peter Roe returned to his old stamping ground and came away with a dramatic victory gained in the last 10 minutes. This was a victory gained against all the odds. Rovers had three players, Richard Slater, Hitro Okesene and Brendon Tuuta, controversially put in the sin bin at crucial times during the game - infact 14 of the Swinton Lions points came while Rovers were reduced to 12 men. This victory has certainly kept Rovers promotion prospects alive.

For this game Brendon Tuuta was moved up into the front row with Richard Slater returning to loose forward and Richard Newlove returning but on the bench.Asa Amone was side-lined with ham string problems.

This was an action packed game with points hard to come by. The first points went to Swinton at the sin-binning of Richard Slater ,for a second off-side offence, after 5 minutes. The penalty was kicked by Ian Watson. Swinton 2 Rovers 0. Rovers lacked a little ball control at times in these early exchanges but eventually took the lead on 19 minutes after a strong break from Neil Lowe which put Rovers into an excellent field position. Jamie then took the ball from the ensuing play the ball and cut the defence wide open to go in unopposed. He converted his own try and Rovers were 6-2 in the lead.

On 25 minutes Hitro Okesene was sin-binned for preventing Swinton taking a quick free kick. Matt Bateman took Swinton back into the lead on 27 minutes and then virtually from the restart Damien Cleary and Mark Welsby combined well to send Howard Hill in. With Ian Watson converting both these tries to add to a further penalty goal Swinton were 16-6 in front. Ian Watson then lost possession from the Rovers kick off. In the ensuing play on 38 minutes, Jamie Rooney gave Wayne Simmonds a brilliant pass which he took at pace and hurtled through tackles to go over for a badly needed score just before the break. This try was converted by Jamie Rooney and Rovers were back in the game at Swinton 16 Rovers 12. It should be remembered that Rovers played 50% of this half with only 12 men!

Swinton were on the offensive from the restart. Unfortunately 8 minutes after the restart Swinton extended their lead through a try from Jim Evans. He stole the ball from Jamie Stokes as he took Ian Watson's long crossfield kick. Swinton 20 Rovers 12. Richard Chapman took the field to sub for Andy Heptinstall and had an immediate effect with a terrific pass to Matt Bramald whose try was disallowed as it was judged his foot went into touch before he grounded the ball. On the 54^th minute Swinton went further ahead with a penalty goal by Ian Watson for comments by Paddy Handley to the touch judge. 3 minutes later, with Rovers in the ascendancy and Richard Chapman in the thick of things, Chappy and Stu Dickens combined to send I Wayne Simmonds for his second try of the game. Jamie missed the conversion but Rovers were only now 6 points behind at 22-16. Rovers now tore into the Swinton defence and only tenacious tackling kept them out. On 65 minutes Ian Watson missed a simple penalty goal when the Rovers were caught off-side. 4 minutes later came the try of the match from Jamie Stokes. He picked up a ball from a Carl McCabe knock on and completely outpaced the Swinton defence to score a blistering try which again Jamie Rooney could not convert. Swinton 22 Rovers 20. Swinton were then penalised for foul play and from the resulting play Steve Dooler made a fine break to hand on to Jamie Stokes who in a diagonal run, outpaced the defnce once again. Jamie Rooney Hit the posts with his conversion attempt but Rovers were in the lead 24-22. Swinton were like men possessed from the restart and only a resolute defnce kept them at bay. Several high shots at overs players resulted in Brendon Tuuta and Ian Watson being sin binned on 79 minutes but by this time it was all over. Swinton 22 Rovers 24.

Big games came from Brendon Tuuta, Steve Dooler and Neil Lowe but definitely not from Mr Ansell who made Rovers struggle for this victory!

Rovers now entertain Workington at the Lionheart stadium next Sunday. Be there!!!