Lions almost safe after derby win

SWINTON were the victors in a fiercelycontested local derby that could have huge ramifications in the fight against relegation from the Betfred Championship.

The league structure for 2019 and beyond has yet to be confirmed, but it is thought that the second tier will be expanded to 14 teams, with only one side dropping out at the end of this season, rather than two.

If that is to be the case, the Lions will have all-but secured their safety with a 23-18 home win over ROCHDALE.

Joe Brown, who joined on loan from Wigan as part of the deal that took Chris Hankinson to the DW Stadium, scored twice and George Tyson grabbed one before Josh Woods slotted a dropgoal to give Stuart Littler’s side a 19-6 lead at the break, Morgan Smith getting Hornets’ try.

Jack Fox and Richard Lepori crossed for the visitors in the second period, but Brown completed his hat-trick as Swinton secured what could prove to be a vital two points.

At the other end of the Championship Shield standings, LEIGH suffered an embarrassing 22-4 defeat to Featherstone, who contested the game with only one player on the interchange bench after a spate of injuries and departures. The two sides are guaranteed to contest the Shield final at the end of the season, but the Centurions will have to offer much more in attack if they are to improve on this result, their only try coming through Matty DawsonJones in the second half.

In League 1, OLDHAM strolled to a 58-6 victory over Coventry Bears thanks to braces from Jack Holmes, Danny Langtree and Matty Wilkinson, plus scores for Craig Briscoe, Luke Hooley, Ben West and Phil Joy. The result leaves Roughyeds in fifth, two points behind third-placed Doncaster.