Three late tries complete Batley's fine fightback to thwart Swinton
Batley trailed 18-6 after an hour but scored three tries in the final quarter as they secured a third win in the Kingstone Press Championship.
Swinton took a fifth-minute lead as winger Shaun Robinson was on the end of a lovely passing move to score in the right corner.
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Hide AdOllie Davies then gathered a neat offload from Ben White to score Swinton’s second try, which Chris Atkin converted.
Batley replied as Dominic Brambani stabbed the ball towards the line. A Swinton defender made a hash of collecting the ball and Dave Scott scooped it up to slide over, with Cain Southernwood converting.
Atkin hammered over a penalty to extend Swinton’s half-time lead to 12-6.
Swinton extended their lead when Andy Bracek dived over wide on the left and Atkin kicked a penalty.
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Hide AdAs conditions worsened, Batley produced their best rugby and piled on the pressure.
Southernwood produced a lovely kick through and Macauley Hallett pounced for a try which Southernwood improved.
Scott then charged through a gap to score and reduce the deficit to two points.
Batley turned down a penalty shot at goal, which would have levelled matters, but their decision paid off as they forced Swinton onto the back foot.
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Hide AdScott’s jinking run put Batley on the attack and they moved left for Hallett to spin out of a tackle and over for a 75th-minute try which put the Bulldogs ahead.
Southernwood was off target with the conversion attempt but hammered over a penalty two minutes from time to seal the victory.
Batley Bulldogs: Scott; Reittie, Smeaton, Hallett, Hayward; Southernwood, Brambani; Maher, Walker, Gledhill, Manning, Day, Farrell. Substitutes: Holmes, Bretherton, Rowe, Lillycrop.
Swinton Lions: Murphy; Robinson, Hankinson, Thornley, Butt; White, Atkin; Bracek, Kenny, Lever, Dwyer, Davies, Bate. Substitutes: Austin, Nicholson, Barlow, Gardner.
Referee: J Roberts (England).