SWINTON had not won in Yorkshire for almost two years and, with an hour gone of yesterday’s Championship One match at Huntington Stadium, that record was set to extend as York City Knights carved out a 30-16 lead.

The hosts had answered most things asked of them and had responded to every Swinton score by adding to their own points tally with a mixture of smart rugby, correct decisions, good endeavour and, when necessary, good skill.

But someone then flicked the off switch again – and, while a similar collapse last week had not quite snatched victory from the jaws defeat against Rochdale, this time they crashed 36-30.

Everything they had hitherto done right, they began to do wrong.

Most worryingly – be it a lack of fitness or lack of confidence – was the way determination drained away, with poor play in possession compounded by a dearth of defensive desire.

It had all begun so well too.

Less than three minutes had passed when Jack Stearman barged over the whitewash after Casey Bromilow had sped upfield from a loose ball, Lee Waterman adding the first of his three conversions.

Local lad Stearman, starting up front even though Jon Fallon and Brett Waller were back, again showed penetration when he was on the field, although he needs to build fitness so he can do it in longer stints.

However, for scrum-half Bromilow, it was probably his highlight as he again failed to have a major influence – especially when compared to Swinton’s Graham Holroyd, who was central to the Lions’ attacking prowess.

In the little Aussie’s mitigation, the fact he is in and out of the team does not help him settle or gel with those around him.

And the continued tinkering in the pivots – not aided by Chris Thorman’s recurrent quad injury which again sidelined the former England captain – also suggests the coaches still don’t know their best half-back combination.

But then neither Bromilow nor Jonathan Schofield have shown the consistency required to make the scrum-half position their own.

Elsewhere, the on-loan Jack Lee started at hooker, Paul Stamp omitted, but while that decision was rewarded with a man-of-the-match performance, the decision to leave out winger Dennis Tuffour, despite his being made available for selection by parent club Hull, proved dubious.

The Player of the Month for April, as voted for by The Press readers, was sat in the stands when he could have made a key difference on the pitch with the kind of break, half-break or uplifting work ethic – not to mention four tries in three games – that have quickly won over the fans.

In his stead, Wayne Reittie was not dire and superbly set up one try, but his wing, with stand-in centre Dan Wilson inside him, was regularly attacked, and it was his error – losing the ball in his own half – which brought a period of pressure and an equalising try for Richie Hawkyard from Holroyd’s excellent reverse pass. Holroyd booted the first of his four conversions.

There were more question marks over the Reittie-Wilson combination in defence when Sam Reay gave Swinton the lead.

Nevertheless, that try was sandwiched between three penalty goals by Waterman as York played cleverly against the wind, wisely taking two points whenever they were on offer to build their lead.

Furthermore, the Reittie-Wilson partnership extended York’s advantage. Swinton’s defence stood and watched, expecting full-back Hawkyard to deal with a huge bomb by Joe McLocklan, only to see Reittie read the flight better, smartly take the ball on the full and flick a fine pass inside for Wilson to run home.

It got better for York as Swinton centre Tony Stewart was sin-binned for his side’s persistent fouling, Waterman goaling his fourth penalty.

And, although they did not benefit from the extra man much as Swinton had possession for most of those ten minutes either side of half-time, they extended their lead when Lee timed his pass perfectly for Waller to blast over.

Some brilliance by Swinton’s new playmaker, Mick Govin, gave player-coach Paul Smith a try after a handling mistake by winger Tom Lineham had left the Knights in defensive disarray.

But York retook command as McLocklan and hard-working skipper Richard Blakeway combined brilliantly to send Ratcliffe in to score the best executed try of the day.

At 30-16 lead, York’s unbeaten home league record, and Swinton’s dire run in Yorkshire, was set to continue.

The Lions might be better than their record over the Pennines and lowly league position would suggest, but no team 14 points up in the last quarter, at home, against a side with their own confidence problems, should lose.

But lose the Knights did, after a horrible capitulation.

Tries by Stewart, Andy Isherwood, Smith and new recruit Wayne Corcoran gave Swinton their six-point lead, and York’s last-minute efforts to respond proved panicky and ineffectual.


Match stats

Knights: Ratcliffe 5, Reittie 6, Wilson 5, Waterman 6, Lineham 6, McLocklan 6, Bromilow 5, Fallon 7, Lee 8, Stearman 7, Ross 7, Applegarth 6, Blakeway 7.

Subs (all used): Hardbottle 6, Freer 6, Waller 6, Lewis 6.

Tries: Stearman 3; Wilson 34; Waller 45; Ratcliffe 58.

Conversions: Waterman 3, 45, 58.

Penalties: Waterman 15, 24, 30, 37.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: None.

Sent off: None.

Swinton: Hawkyard, Hamilton, Stewart, Reay, Dodd, Holroyd, Govin, Southern, Watson, Cherryholm, Wingfield, Isherwood, Joseph.

Subs (all used): Foxen, Newton, Smith, Corcoran.

Tries: Hawkyard 9; Reay 20; Smith 52, 74; Stewart 64; Isherwood 69; Corcoran 79.

Conversions: Holroyd 9, 52, 69, 74.

Penalties: None.

Drop goals: None.

Sin-binned: Stewart 37.

Sent off: None.

Man of the match: Jack Lee – installed at hooker, the loanee was at the hub of a lot of good things, bringing intensity and control at dummy-half.

Referee: Chris Leatherbarrow (St Helens) – inconsistent in his interpretation of ten metres for offsides and of laying-on, and he may have given Swinton another yellow card for persistent infrigement, but York can have no complaints.

Penalty count: 14-7.

Weather watch: Mixed, with a bit of sun, and showers held off.

Attendance: 670.

Half-time: 18-10.

Moment of the match: Local lad Jack Stearman barging over the try-line after only three minutes.

Gaffe of the match: The Knights’ simultaneous loss of energy and confidence.

Game-breaker: Wayne Corcoran’s try put Swinton six points up with 90 seconds left.

Match rating: Excellent first hour of rugby league somehow turned into a Lions fun day out.