Tigers are roaring as Swatkins dashes in

Sheffield T ........ 21pts Otley ...................... 6pts

TIGERS wing Pete Swatkins sprinted 30 metres to collect replacement Sam Waddington’s offload and score a sliding effort in the final play.

It rounded off a tough but dominant display.

Swatkins try was the second for Tigers after Doncaster Knights loanee Jack Roberts went over in the first half, but Tigers felt aggrieved after going over another four times without scoring, due to infringements.

The mud-ridden Yorkshire derby victory is Tigers’ fifth win in six games, bouncing back after losing 19-18 to Tynedale last week to stay in the top five.

Head coach Jamie Broadley said: “I’m happy it’s five out of six. You think about the one we let slip, but this is a mark of how much we’re a different side this year. Last season we’d put two or three games together and then fall away.

“So, to come back and put in such a dominant performance in difficult conditions, is a big statement. We should have been two scores ahead with a bonus point, which is questionable, but putting that aside our scrum was dominant. We didn’t get the rewards with the whistle.

“If we had we could have

got a few extra kicks and it’s a different game.

“We try to play a structured game in these conditions, but when it breaks up it allows our finishers who are still fresh to have a go. The late try was pleasing.”

With a physical dominance at the scrum and a much-improved line-out from last week, Tigers made a good platform to attack from kick-off.

After a good chip by wing Rob Davidson led to Otley not releasing, fly-half Mark Ireland’s boot gave them the lead after four minutes.

With defences holding firm and the muddy Dore Moor pitch frustrating open play, the first 20 minutes was a battle of the boots, squaring at 6-6.

Then, Tigers put seven phases together, with No.8

Alan Symcox and full-back Greg Mellor breaking through, before centre Roberts received a crossfield pass to score.

Sheffield put together several phases just before half-time.

Roberts looked like he’d scored again just after the break but for a doublemovement. Davidson was sin-binned on the 64th minute for a deliberate knock-on when Otley’s Stephen Nolson looked in space.

Otley then put together 15 minutes of sustained pressure, with scrum-half Max Johnson looking dangerous, but Tigers held firm. As both sides became fatigued, the game looked to be tightening up until Waddington’s blindside break on the left from a 30metre scrum ended with the offload to Swatkins.

Tigers’ win comes after their match-day squad agreed to donate their match-fees in support of Scunthorpe ’s #4Jimmy charity after 23-year-old James Walker died this month. The club are also holding a charity event .

Otley coach Charlie Maunder said: “Tigers executed their game really well and it was the best I’ve seen for a few years. They dominated in the forwards and frustrated our game plan.

“We didn’t have a lot of ball but when we did get into the red zone we didn’t execute..”