SWINTON LIONSM-I18pts, DEWSBURY RAMSM-I15

SWINTON practically assured themselves First Division football next season after Sunday's tense and exciting Gigg Lane encounter against the Rams.

News of Featherstone's victory over Widnes was greeted with equal delight as the home win. Former giants of the game Widnes must now win their final game at Huddersfield by more than 140 points and hope Swinton lose at Wakefield!

Although all was well that ended well, matters didn't go smoothly for the Lions as the Rams built up a 10-0 lead.

Barry Eaton converted a penalty and matters got worse after fifteen minutes when Sean Casey took his eye off the ball and The Rams swept downfield. Winger Leon Williamson crowned a fine 80 metre move with a breathtaking try and Eaton's conversion took the score to 8-0.

The Rams increased their advantage to double figures when Simon Ashcroft was penalised for a high tackle and Eaton kicked the penalty goal.

This seemed to shake Swinton and they finally got some points on the board when full-back Mark Welsby crashed over by the corner flag having got on the end of some good approach play by Jimmy Vaikoso, Tommy Hodgkinson and Gavin Price-Jones.

With Greg Pearce suspended it fell to Andy Craig to attempt the conversion goal but, unfortunately, he missed.

Four minutes later, Craig crossed the Dewsbury line in a similar position to Welsby's earlier touchdown, it was Welsby and Riley who had done the spadework for the score and, this time, Sean Casey missed the conversion. The Lions levelled things up on the half-time hooter when Dewsbury were caught offside 20 metres out in front of their own posts to leave Sean Casey with a relatively easy penalty goal kick.

It was the Rams who drew first blood in the second half. Brendan Williams got on the end of a move started by his namesake Shane and carried on by Mark Conway and Eaton. Eaton was wide of the mark with the conversion.

Rams full-back Robert Woodcock added a drop goal just after the hour mark to extend their lead to 15-10 but, as in the first half, Swinton finished strongly.

Mark Welsby created a try for Carl McCabe after an intense period of pressure on the Dewsbury line.

Price-Jones returned after receiving treatment on the touchline to add the extras and put Swinton into the lead for the first time in the game with 12 minutes remaining.

Price-Jones attempted a drop goal which went hopelessly wide before former Dewsbury player Davide Longo made it 17-15 with a drop goal on the sixth tackle.

The final scoring of the game came a minute from time when Price-Jones had a second attempt at a drop and was successful much to the supporters' relief.

The A team won 21-14 at Dewsbury as Tony Humphreys made a comeback after 18 months out. The Academy side, including six 16-year-olds, beat Barrow 16-8.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.