Swinton Lions 28, Knights 50

8:46am Monday 12th May 2008

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IT was as puzzling as it was needless and it proved decisive.

Swinton prop Bruce Johnson moved in to tackle young York second-row Ross Divorty and promptly landed a high blow which appeared to be a cross between a punch and a forearm smash.

Divorty went down and Johnson went off, red-carded by referee Mike Dawber.

Fourteen minutes had gone, it was scoreless, and Swinton had probably shaded the opening exchanges.

But within two minutes of Johnson's exit, York scored a procession of tries as the floodgates not so much opened as disintegrated, full-back Lee Mapals leading the way with a first-half hat-trick, ending with a club record-equalling five in total.

In fact, Swinton did not get a single touch of the ball between the Knights' first try and their seventh, which came 21 minutes later.

That sequence ended when a loose off-load was picked up by the hosts, the half-time hooter sounding before that rare set of six ended with a knock-on.

If Swinton's defence had been poor, then the Knights certainly took advantage of it, with some excellent, increasingly confident and, more pointedly, ruthless attacking rugby league.

The second half was different, however, as the Knights, 40-0 up, took the foot off the gas, especially defensively, and that is something the coaching team will certainly look at.

Laziness crept in and this led to a general shabbiness and thus a comeback by the 12-man Lions which should not have been allowed to happen.

But by then the game was won and the three National League Two points were lifting the Knights into the play-off places for the first time this season.

Swinton had looked livelier early on, twice going close with power-plays down the right, before twice going downfield on the back of penalties.

Excellent defence by John Oakes and Rob Kelly forced them into touch the first time, then Adam Sullivan - as solid as ever back in a Knights shirt - came up with an interception close to his own line.

The closest York came was through Steve Lewis, who was tackled into touch by the flag. But then came the sending-off and the Knights were quickly on their way.

Paul Hughes dug over from dummy-half after Mapals had driven close. Then Swinton winger Barry Hamilton dropped Paul March's chip and Mapals scored.

March and Rob Spicer then sent winger Lewis flying down the left and his inside pass saw Hughes get his second.

Five minutes elapsed before the next try, which followed a March 40-20, Mapals crossing as fine play created a double overlap and an easy score.

Mark Applegarth - back in the 17 as the Knights went with four forwards on the bench to combat the hot day - excelled in sending Lewis flying again, this time to score himself.

Danny Ratcliffe took advantage of a gap and fed Mapals for his hat-trick. Then Lewis again raced down the flank and, with several in support, gave the scoring pass to his player-boss, March.

Esders converted six from seven, three from wide out.

The second half began in a similar vein, thanks to a bizarre Swinton error.

Full-back Chris Frodsham gathered March's grubber in goal only for Mapals to steal the ball off him and score.

But Esders missed an easy goal attempt and this summed up the way the rot set in.

Mapals touched down again as fine play ended with winger John Oakes kicking inside, the full-back beating two team-mates to the ball. However, a touch judge ruled he was off-side, a decision which was possibly sympathetic and led to several dubious calls going the home team's way thereafter.

That should not excuse the way the Knights fell away, however. At times it looked as though it was they who were a man down as Swinton scored four tries without reply, through Gary Hulse, Ben Williamson, Gary Sykes, superbly set up by Martin Moana, and Marlon Billy, all converted by Richie Hawkyard.

The Lions deserve credit for the way they came back after Paul Kidd's half-time dressing down. Shorn of half a dozen first-choice players through injury, they displayed pride, and no little ability - but this was allowed to shine by the increasingly ragged Knights.

Fears they would steal a bonus losing point were probably unwarranted, though, even before Mapals forced his way over for his fifth try five minutes from time, after good work by the effervescent Paul Hughes and Dave Buckley - who was allowed to display a bit more football as Sullivan's arrival saw the Aussie switch to loose- forward in place of the crocked David March.

However, the hosts had the last word through Sykes, after a superb break by Billy.

Swinton: Frodsham, Hamilton, Brand, Williamson, Billy, Hawkyard, Hulse, Johnson, Sykes, Hayes, Gibson, Rigby, Ashall.

Subs (all used): Wood, Smith, Moana, Bibey.

Tries: Hulse 48; Williamson 51; Sykes 61, 80; Billy 65.

Conversions: Hawkyard 48, 51, 61, 65.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: Johnson 14.

Knights: Mapals 9, Oakes 7, Esders 7, Spicer 8, Lewis 8, Ratcliffe 7, P March 7, Sullivan 7, Hughes 8, Ekis 7, Divorty 7, Kelly 7, Buckley 7.

Subs (all used): Greenwood 6, Applegarth 7, Bailey 7, Woodcock 6.

Tries: Hughes 16, 24; Mapals 21, 29, 35, 44, 75; Lewis 31; P March 37.

Conversions: Esders 16, 20, 29, 31, 35, 37, 75.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match: It is hard to look beyond Lee Mapals and his five-try haul (six if you include the one controversially disallowed).

Referee: Mike Dawber (Wigan).

Rating: indifferent as ever - okay first half (and he had no option with the red card) but increasingly a bit of a "homer" in the second.

Penalty count: 11-11.

Weather: warm, muggy.

Half-time: 0-40.

Attendance: 501.

Gamebreaker: the sending-off, as the red card for Swinton prop Bruce Johnson preceded by two minutes a scoring sequence of seven tries in 21 minutes.

Moment of the match: York's third try which saw the ball spun quickly to the left where Steve Lewis sprinted down the line and passed inside for Paul Hughes to sprint home.

Match rating: open rugby on a big pitch led to a try-fest, with York winning because of their first-half riot.