Rams tame Lions to share top honours

A SUPERB first-half performance set Dewsbury Rams on their way to a second successive victory in the Co-operative Championship.

Four first-half tries saw them to a handsome 26-10 interval lead and victory sees the Rams involved in a four-way tie at the top of the table.

Pat Walker continued his impressive form with the boot as he landed a seven out of seven goals, while there was good work from prop Steve Crossley, winger Austin Buchanan on his 100th appearance for the Rams and George Flanagan.

Coach Warren Jowitt said his side would need to adapt to the big pitch at the Leigh Sporting Village and they heeded his words, racing into a 12-0 lead in 10 minutes.They piled on the pressure and having forced Swinton onto the back foot, Crossley went over after seven minutes. Walker tagged on the goal.

Three minutes later, Dewsbury moved play left and Buchanan did well to slip a pass inside for Craig Cook to score. Walker converted.

Buchanan went close soon after but the Lions defence held out and Swinton then broke upfield with centre Adam Higson scoring in the corner following good approach play from Carl Forster, Ian Watson and Martin Ainscough.

Dewsbury’s defence got back to halt prop Lee Wingfield following an initial break by Danny Meekin.

Walker was fouled by Lions full-back Richie Hawkyard and the stand-off dusted himself down to land the penalty for a 14-4 lead.

A brief lapse for the Rams knock-on close to their line and from the scrum, Ainscough went over for the try. Ian Mort tagged on the goal.

However, Dewsbury finished the half strongly and two converted tries in the final five minutes put them on course for victory.

Walker launched an up and under which the defence failed to deal with and Ayden Faal was quickest to react to gather and extend his impressive scoring run with another try. Walker converted.

Just before the break Flanagan burst through some weak defence to score Dewsbury’s fourth try and Walker’s fifth goal gave them a commanding lead.

Swinton started the second half well and had three chances to reduce the arrears. Alex Hurst went close, Forster had a try ruled out for a forward pass and Richie Hawkyard then looked to have put Hurst on his way to the line but again the final pass was ruled forward.

Walker stretched Dewsbury’s lead with another penalty at the other end before the Rams defence did well to hold Hawkyard up over the line.

Swinton’s pressure finally told when Tom Armstrong sent Hurst over at the left corner.

Darren Hawkyard looked to have given the Lions hope of a bonus point when he crossed with four minutes left but he was pulled back for a double movement.

Flanagan broke upfield for the Rams to ease the pressure and set up another attack and fellow substitute Matt Nicholson crashed over between the posts, with Walker tagging on his seventh goal to seal a very satisfactory away win.