Eagles extend unbeaten run in Betfred Championship

Mark Aston named three changes to his starting thirteen from last weekend’s trip to Whitehaven as James Glover, Ryan Johnson and Tyler Dickinson came into the side to replace Ben Jones-Bishop, Matty Dawson-Jones and Oliver Roberts.

Swinton headed into this encounter off the back of an impressive victory last weekend against Toulouse Olympique in France, as they recorded their first win of the season after falling to defeat in their opening two games against Whitehaven and Widnes Vikings.

It was also the second meeting of the season between the Lions and the Eagles, having met only five weeks prior in the Betfred Challenge Cup 5th Round.

It was the Eagles who started off brightly as they led inside the opening seven minutes in Manchester as a loose-ball was collected by Cory Aston and he played in Johnson on the left edge for the first try of the afternoon.

After a tight encounter in the first half, the Eagles extended their lead as the hooter for half-time was imminent as Bayley Liu collected the ball after Dan Abram’s knock-on, and he raced away from halfway and made his way under the sticks to score, before Aston converted the extras to hand Sheffield a 0-10 lead heading into the sheds at the break.

Neither side were able to break down either defence in the early exchanges of the second period, but it was Aston who converted a penalty from in front of the sticks with fifteen minutes to go to take the lead to 0-12 following a high shot from a Swinton man.

Consolation

Minutes later, Johnson danced his way through a body of Swinton defenders to score his second of the afternoon, on only his first league start of the new season. The lead became 0-18 once Aston added the extras moments later.

Swinton scored a late consolation try with two minutes to go through half-back Jordan Gibson, but Declan Patton was unable to add the extras with the simplest of kicks with the boot.

But it was Sheffield who had the last laugh as only two minutes later, Patton threw the ball straight into the hands of Jack Hansen, who sprinted away to touch down against his former side and secure yet again another crucial two points for Aston’s side to keep us unbeaten in the league after their opening four games.

The win also extends their run in 2024 to ten wins from eleven games in all competitions ahead of a big test which awaits the Eagles next week when they make the trip to The Shay to take on Halifax Panthers.

Swinton Lions: Abram, Lepori, Spedding, Hatton, Williams, Patton, Gibson, Wood, Eaves, Brogan, Rodden, Cox, Hall

Interchanges: Hartill, Case, Houghton, Badrock

18th Man: Vaughan

Tries: Gibson (78’)

Conversions: Patton (0/1)

Sheffield Eagles: Marsh, Welham, Liu, Glover, Johnson, Aston, Thackeray, Battye, Wood, Dickinson, Bower, Foster, Gwaze

Interchanges: Roberts, Murphy, J.Farrell, Hansen

18th Man: Hodgson

Tries: Johnson (7’, 70’), Liu (40’), Hansen (80’)

Conversions: Aston (3/5)

Referee: S.Mikalauskas