Ian Rigg reports from Park Lane

Hornets stormed back to score four tries in the final twenty minutes to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

The Lions made a bright start and winger Marlon Billy had two chances to score in the first six minutes but both ended with him knocking on in good positions. Swinton did however score a minute later after Hornets winger Eric Andrews lost the ball in his own twenty metre area. Gary Sykes picked-up to put Rob Ball through a gap and his short pass to the supporting Gary Hulse saw the scrum-half over by the posts. Richie Hawkyard added the extras for a 6-0 lead.

Hornets made another huge error on eleven minutes when again they lost the ball in their own half; Neil Rigby went close before the pressure told as Darren Bamford crashed over by the posts for a try on his debut. Hawkyard again converted. Rochdale’s first major attack ended when Jim Elston tried to put Andrews away down the wing but the ball sailed into touch.

Neil Rigby was sent to the sin-bin for holding down in the seventeenth minute after the Lions had been penalised on three successive occasions for the same offence. Within a couple of minutes Hornets reduced the deficit when Andrew Marsh crashed over from short range and Simon Svabic converted.

Hornets took full advantage of the extra man and they scored again a few minutes later. Paul Alcock was grounded on his back on the fifth tackle and from the next play the ball was moved out to the right and Mark Brocklehurst went over in the corner but Svabic missed the opportunity to level the scores.

The Lions came storming back with two tries in six minutes just before the break. Firstly Liam McGovern went over from short range before creating the next. His kick into the Hornets in-goal saw Craig Bower lose his footing as the ball bounced awkwardly in front of him and Chris Hull was on hand to win the race for the touchdown. Hawkyard converted both to stretch the Lions lead to 24-10. Swinton’s fullback Bamford was put on report just before the break for an alleged spear tackle.

Hornets made a dream start to the second-half when Chris Spurr made a good break down the left to put the ball on to Martin Ainscough who raced away to score and Svabic added the conversion.

The Lions came back to put pressure on the Hornets line as McGovern put a good kick to the corner for Barry Hamilton but Ainscough was there to sweep up the danger. Just after this attack the Lions lost Hull to the sin bin for back-chatting to the touch judge.

Hamilton had another chance for the Lions before Chris Hough the Hornets scrum-half was also dispatched to the bin for the same offence as Hull. From the resulting penalty the Lions scored again when Hulse put in a good kick for the corner for Billy to win the race for the touchdown and Hawkyard added the conversion from the touchline.

Hornets then turned the game on its head when they scored three tries in eight minutes to level the scores. Spurr started the ball rolling when he crossed on the left after a good attacking movement with Svabic converting.

The second of the tries came as the Lions were on the attack and in a good position on the Hornets line but Spurr gathered McGovern’s kick and raced away down field to set up Ainscough for an unconverted try.

With ten minutes left a fast flowing passing movement saw Spurr go in at the corner for his second try but Hough could not add the goal points and the scores were level.

Both Hough and then McGovern had attempted drop goals fall wide of the mark before what turned out to be the winning try was scored with just two minutes left.

Hough had gone for his second drop goal attempt and the ball hit the uprights and bounced into the in goal area and was collected by Hamilton. As the winger tried to bring the ball out he lost control of it and Ainscough was on hand to pounce on the loose ball and score the easiest of try’s. Svabic added the goal.

The Lions took a short kick-off, winning the ball back to hit back in the dying seconds when Billy crossed in the corner for his second try of the match. The final hooter sounded as Hawkyard lined up the conversion but his attempt fell short of the posts and the visitors celebrated victory.