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MATCH REPORT – MIDLANDS HURRICANES VS SWINTON LIONS

MIDLANDS HURRICANES 16

SWINTON LIONS 54

IAN RIGG – Portway Stadium

After two games the Lions sit proudly at the top of the League One table with two runaway victories. On Sunday the team travelled to Birmingham to visit the Hurricanes who have rebranded from Coventry Bears who played in League One last season. They now play at the Portway Stadium in Solihull and the ground reminded some Lions fans of their visit to Markham in Canada a few years back being located in the countryside with a massive playing surface.

The Lions took the lead after six minutes when some good pressure on the line saw Deane Meadows cross under the posts and Dan Abram added the simple conversion and this was followed by a second try four minutes later when Luke Waterworth went close but from the play the ball Mitch Cox went over from close range and Abram again converted. Abram himself added the third on thirteen minutes when a nice arching run saw him score on the right side and again the conversion was good.

Hurricanes hit back with their opener on nineteen minutes when Brad Clavering was held up just short and the ball moved swiftly left for Ben Stead to slip a tackle and score and Benn Hardcastle added the conversion Tyler Walton the Hurricanes loose forward was sent to the sin bin by referee Liam Rush for a push at the play the ball and five minutes into his rest on the side line the Lions scored again when Jack Spencer scored under the posts and again this was converted by Abram but again the Hurricanes fought back when they got the ball back from the restart and Anthony Boardman managed to find his way over for their second try by the posts but Hardcastle was off target with the conversion. The Lions scored again with seconds remaining of the half when Richard Lepori set up the first try for Jayden Hatton to score in the right corner and Abram converted from the touchline as the half time hooter sounded.

Hurricanes grabbed the first try of the second half when Hardcastle was fastest to react to a high kick near the line to score and add the conversion. The Hurricanes defence was holding up well until Luis Brogan set up a try for Lewis Charnock to score by the posts on fifty-seven minutes and Abram again converted. Nine minutes later they were in again when Jordan Case score by the posts and again the conversion was good. The fans favourite Mike Butt was next to score when he collected a loose ball on half way to race away to score by the posts and again Abram made no mistake with the kick and with five minutes left Hurricanes tried to go short with a goal line drop out but the ball bounced nicely for Jayden Hatton to race in on he right and Abram converted to score the final points of the afternoon  to send the large band of Lions fans home happy.

Team: Abram, Butt, Roberts, J.Hatton, Lepori, Gregson, Hansen, Meadows, Waterworth, Brogan, Lloyd, Cox, Case. Subs : Wilkinson, Spencer, Kenga, Charncok.

Tries: Meadows (6), Cox (10), Abram (13). Spencer (29), J.Hatton (39,75), Charnock (57), Case (66).

Butt (72).

Goals: Abram 9/9

Referee: Liam Rush

Pens: 4-9 to Lions

Half-Time : 10-30

News

LEWIS ELSE

The club would like to provide the following update with regards to half-back Lewis Else, who of course came to the Lions from Widnes Vikings last autumn.

Due to a change in work patterns, which have affected Lewis’s availability to attend training sessions, our Head Coach Allan Coleman has been unable to select him for recent squads.

However, it’s our intention to retain Lewis’s registration, in the hope that should Lewis’s work patterns become more favourable in the future, then Allan can re-consider him for match-day duties.

However, for the foreseeable future, it’s unlikely that Lewis will be available for selection.

News

MATCH REPORT – SWINTON LIONS VS WEST WALES RAIDERS

SWINTON LIONS 82

WEST WALES RAIDERS 4

IAN RIGG Heywood Road, Sunday

The Lions kicked off their season in good style with an emphatic victory over the Raiders and the Lions wore yellow shorts in support of the Ukraine situation and the ground also dressed in new logos. It only took Liam Forsyth in his comeback game three minutes to score the opening try having not played for over twelve months and this was quickly followed by two more tries in a four-minute period with Jordan Case and Richard Lepori going over but Dan Abram could only add one conversion. Raiders had a chance on fourteen minutes when Josh Frost went close but good defence held him out. This was quickly followed by another Lions try when Max Roberts went in at the corner and then Mike Butt and Jack Hansen quickly followed with touchdowns but again only one conversion from Abram. Raiders substitute Lloyd Allen was sent to the sin bin for a high shot twelve minutes from the break and the Lions again hit them with more points when Abram and Butt both went in for tries and Abram converted both.

It was much of the same after the break with Roberts opening the scoring after three minutes and this was converted by Abram but in the build-up Nick Gregson was hit off the ball and Shane Lee was sent to the sin bin. Captain Rhodri Lloyd was next on the board for the Lions converted by Abram but when Lee returned for the Raiders he cut a big hole in the Lions defence but again good defence held him out. The Lions were soon back on the try trail when firstly Case sent Deane Meadows away to score under the posts and Abram converted again but then there was a thirteen minute purple patch when Lloyd scored from some good pressure on the line, Forsyth went in for his second after a good pass from Hansen and the  Hansen himself found the line from close range and the a good passing movement was finished by Abram on the right  with the full back converting them all  to bring his points tally to thirty for the match, but Raiders never gave up for the whole of the game despite injuries and it was Macauley Harris who went over from close range in the very last minute but Lee was unable to convert as the hooter sounded but the Lions set a marker in their quest to return to the Championship.

MATCHFACTS

LIONS

  1 Dan Abram

  2 Mike Butt

  4 Max Roberts

  3 Liam Forsyth

  5 Richard Lepori

13 Nick Gregson

  7 Jack Hansen

19 Jose Kenga

  9 Luke Waterworth

10 Lewis Hatton

11 Rhodri Lloyd

12 Mitch Cox

16 Louis Brogan

Subs (all used)

14 Matty Wilkinson

23 Jordan Case

20 Deane Meadows

17 Jack Spencer

Tries: Forsyth (3, 68), Case (7), Lepori (11), Roberts (17,43), Butt (22, 39), Hansen (23,73), Abram (31,76), Lloyd (46,63), Meadows (58).

Goals: Abram 11/15

RAIDERS

  1 Dan Wilde

  2 Sam Pridgeon

  3 Josh Frost

  6 Aedan Coleman

  5 George Orriss

17 Shane Lee

  4 Fergus Simpson

  8 Luke Broster

  9 Dafydd Phillips

15 Sam Herron

16 Will Odgers

18 Callum Mulkeen

11 Joe Burke

Subs (all used)

12 Macauley Harris

10 Darrel Moyle

13 Ben Jackson

14 Lloyd Allen

Try: Harris (79)

Sin-Bin: Allen (28) High Tackle

Lee (43) Late Hit

Penalty count: 6-3 Half-time:  40-0

Referee: Scott Mikalouskas Attendance: 853

SCORING SEQUENCE:4-0, 10-0, 14-0, 18-0, 22-0, 28-0, 34-0, 40-0, 46-0, 52-0, 58-0, 64-0, 70-0, 76-0, 82-0, 82-4

News

New 2022 Player’s Warm-up T-Shirt

Swinton Lions and Supro are thrilled to reveal our brand new 2022 Players’ Warm-Up T-Shirt.

Kindly sponsored by the Swinton Supporters’ Trust, whose logo appears on the sleeve, the shirt is now available for supporters to purchase online, or from the Trust’s match day stall as from tomorrow.

Another addition to our “27 Collection”, and proudly depicting an image in shadow of our iconic Station Road on the 30th anniversary of its loss, the T-Shirt should be a great hit with our players and supporters!

Purchase via our Merchandise Store.

https://swintonlionsstore.com/

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Lionesses run Illingworth close in League Cup game

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MATCH REPORT – KEIGHLEY COUGARS VS SWINTON LIONS

KEIGHLEY COUGARS 22 SWINTON LIONS 42

Ian Rigg at Cougar Park

The Lions put in a good performance to gain a good win in the Yorkshire sunshine against a team rated as one of the favourites for the league one title this season. The Lions attack scoring eight tries cutting large holes in the Cougars defences.

Dan Abram put the Lions ahead in only the second minute when a good passing movement saw him cross in the left corner, but he could not add the conversion in the windy conditions. Two minutes later some good build up work by Ben Heyes and Luke Waterworth down the left saw Max Roberts cross again in the left corner but this time Abram converted after the kick hit the left upright and bounced over for a ten-point lead after just four minutes. Billy Brickhill had to leave the field on nine minutes with a bad cut to his leg and he was replaced by Lewis Hatton. Cougars had forced a goal line drop out and from this they put pressure on the Lions line and former Oldham winger Mo Agoro managed to cross for a try on the right, but Jack Miller could not convert.

Abram went close again on thirteen minutes but was grounded just short and from the next play it looked like Jack Spencer would score under the posts, but the Cougars defence managed to hold him up on the last tackle. They did get over for the third try on fifteen minutes when Waterworth crossed under the posts after cutting inside and Abram converted again. Cougars hit back straight away when veteran hooker James Feather went through a huge gap in the Lions defence from a scrum to score by the posts and Miller converted.

Matty Wilkinson had just replaced Waterworth from the substitutes bench and he weaved his way in and out of about six defenders to score to the left of the posts for an impressive try and again this was converted by Abram. Nick Gregson was held up on thirty-one minutes but five minutes later a good movement of the ball through six sets of hands saw Richard Leopri score in the right corner, but Abram was unable to convert from the touchline and just before the break Lewis Hatton crashed over between the posts and Abram converted this one to give the Lions a twenty-two point advantage at the break.

Both sides were constantly changing players throughout the game and the Lions introduced their two new faces to the pitch with Owain Abel coming on just before the break for Gregson and Jayden Hatton was introduced at the break for Abram. Abel made a bright start to the second half and almost created two tries in the opening minutes but third time lucky on forty-five minutes he set up a second try for Lepori who crossed on the left, but Jack Hansen could not convert against the wind. Cougars hit back again on fifty minutes when Nathan Roebuck went through a huge gap from another scrum to score by the posts and Miller again added the simple conversion. Hansen scored the last Lions try of the afternoon when he kicked ahead from about twenty metres and Cougars wingman was unable to control the bounce of the ball and it went through his legs with Hansen still chasing the ball and it bounced up nicely for the Lions half back to regather and score to the right of the posts and add the conversion. It was Cougars who finished the scoring for the afternoon when Matt Bailey scored under the posts and Miller converted.

LIONS TEAM:

1, Dan Abram, 22. Ben Heyes, 4. Max Roberts, 2. Mike Butt, 5. Richard Lepori, 13. Nick Gregson, 7. Jack Hansen, 17. Jack Spencer, 9. Luke Waterworth. 15. Billy Brickhill, 11. Rhodri Lloyd, 12. Mitch Cox, 23. Jordan Case. SUBS: 14. Matty Wilkinson, 16. Louis Brogan, 10. Lewis Hatton, 19. Jose Kenga, 20. Deane Meadows, 24. Jordan Brown, 30. Owain Abel, 33. Jayden Hatton.

Tries: Abram (2), Roberts (4), Waterworth (15), Wilkinson (20), Lepori (36,43), L.Hatton (38),

           Hansen (64)

Goals: Abram 4-6, Hansen 1-2.

Penalties: 3-10 to Lions

Referee: Brad Milligan

News

LIONS LAND FORMER VIKING JAYDEN HATTON

We are delighted to announce the signing of 23 years old outside-back, Jayden Hatton, who joins us with immediate effect and is likely to feature in our friendly at Keighley Cougars on Sunday (kick-off 3pm).

Jayden, who incidentally is not related to our own Lewis Hatton, came through the scholarship and academy system with his home-town club Widnes Vikings, and made his first team debut there in 2019. After a successful 2021 season with Widnes, Jayden briefly signed full-time terms with Leigh Centurions ahead of the 2022 campaign, but unfortunately he then had to re-consider owing to other commitments. However, he is now eagerly looking forward to getting back into his rugby league with the Lions!

Lions’ Head Coach Allan Coleman said, “It’s great to have got Jayden on board at Swinton. He was a player that we very much liked last year when he was at Widnes. He’s a very strong and powerful player and he will add lots of quality to our squad.”

Jayden added, “I am really pleased to have signed for Swinton because it is a great club. I really want to help the Lions get promoted back to the Championship and I believe the squad here is strong enough to do so. I’m raring to go and I can’t wait for my first game with the lads.”

In other team news we can also announce that we have taken 21 years old half-back Owain Abel on a month’s loan from National Conference League side Pilkington Recs. Owain is already well-known to our Head Coach Allan Coleman, having previously been selected for Allan’s England Under 23s international community team set up.

News

Ambitious Lions appoint John Hesketh as Business Development Director

Swinton Lions Rugby League Club is delighted to announce the appointment of John Hesketh in the role of Business Development Director. 

Swinton CEO Steve Wild explained, “We are constantly looking at ways to enhance our operational model, whether that be on the playing side through our Head Coach Allan Coleman, or on the business side by adding expertise to our Board. With the changing landscape of the sport, particularly in respect of recent much reduced central funding, we have to ensure that we are putting the blocks in place to underpin Swinton Lions moving forward”.

Once we learned of John’s availability we organised a couple of meetings and quickly realised that we are a good match. John’s impressive CV speaks for itself, and the Board has no doubt that he will prove to be a great asset to our club and indeed to our affiliated community foundation which is also going from strength to strength. Our club is geographically based in the midst of a Manchester conurbation of nearly 3 million people and there is huge potential if we get things right.

John said, “As Business Development Director at Swinton Lions, my job will be to help maximise both Club and Foundation income. In other words, I will assist in ensuring that we have all the necessary financial means to fulfil our sporting, community development and social impact ambitions going forward – reaching out across Swinton, Salford, Trafford and Manchester more widely to build brand awareness, connect with new partners and deliver on our responsibilities towards maximising partnership exposure, club and community impact”.

“To my new position I will bring varied and wide-ranging experience of income generation and business development, through sponsor engagement and community fundraising, successful grant application and pursuit of public sector contracts, having held management roles in the public, private and third sectors over the last 23 years – posts with the likes of Wigan Council, Wigan Leisure & Culture Trust (now Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles), T4C (now Access 2 Funding), The Boathouse Youth and Manchester Deaf Centre. My knowledge of social policy and public sector strategy is also strong as well, and across the Greater Manchester local authority areas in which the Lions have a presence, I’m hopeful of opening new doors and maximising a few synergies for shared benefit through collaboration as we push forward”.

“I am very pleased, proud and excited to be joining the Lions’ family. I am looking forward to meeting and working with present and prospective partners of both the Rugby League Club and the Lions’ Foundation over the coming weeks and months. If you would like to get in touch in the meantime, to share ideas or explore possible opportunities, please drop me an email ([email protected]) or give me a ring on 07939 562710″.

“Otherwise, please keep an eye on our official communication channels for news of plans taking shape, finding traction, starting to realise results and enabling things to happen.” 

News

Swinton Lionesses face historic opening fixture!

Today, International Women’s Day, marks exactly two years since we announced the intention to form the Swinton Lionesses. 

After a rapid period of growth and enthusiasm, followed by a successful inaugural campaign in 2021, we are now proud to confirm that the Swinton Lionesses will play in League 1 of the Women’s RFL for this coming season. 

The Women’s League 1 season starts in April, but we can reveal we are hoping to confirm that six or seven of the Lionesses’ league fixtures will be played as double-headers ahead of our men’s League 1 matches at Heywood Road. We firmly believe that seeing the Lionesses play on the same stage as the men’s team is a progressive step for the sport of Rugby League and our club.  In addition to the Lionesses’ league games, further cup fixtures and at least one league match will be played in Pendlebury at the home of our community club partner, Folly Lane ARLFC, on their Blue Ribbon Field off Fraser Street. 

However, before the league season commences, our women will play in a Cup competition, with their first tie taking place this coming Sunday at Folly Lane ARLFC against Illingworth (kick-off 2pm). All are welcome to attend. Of course, it is now 30 years since an adult Swinton RLFC team last played a competitive fixture in its home town, so this game will mark quite a historic occasion. 

The Lions’ Director of Development, Damian Ridpath, said, “It is fantastic to see the progression of our Women’s team, and after a successful season in the merit league it will be exciting to see the team step up into regular competitive Rugby League. For this coming season most of our championship winning Under 16s players will be taking their first steps into open-age Rugby League and this will certainly add a great vibe to the team. 

“Our coaches Martina Greenwood and Steve Thirkell have done a fantastic job in pre-season integrating the squad together, and the hard work and enthusiasm of the coaching staff and players will no doubt be evident throughout the season.