PREVIEW: FEATHERSTONE ROVERS v SWINTON LIONS
06 March 2020
Check out the latest match preview as Swinton Lions travel to unbeaten Featherstone Rovers in the fifth round of the 2020 Betfred Championship.
Swinton Lions travel to high flying Featherstone Rovers in the Betfred Championship on Sunday at 3 pm after last weekend’s postponement at Heywood Road.
FORM GUIDE
Swinton is back in action this weekend after last weekend’s game at home to second place Leigh Centurions was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
It’s been a steady start to the new campaign from the Lions, having a promising pre-season, one win and one defeat in the league and comfortable progression in the Challenge Cup.
However, this will be their toughest test of the season so far as they travel to unbeaten Featherstone Rovers, a side that looks set to mount a play-off challenge this season.
So far this season Swinton’s opponents have beaten Batley Bulldogs 38-18, had their first home postponed, then went on to beat Bradford Bulls 30-22 on the road and London Broncos 34-10 down south.
This will be Featherstone’s first away tie in the Championship this season, but they did beat Barrow 18-16 in the Challenge Cup at their home ground. Therefore, it will be important for them to back up their convincing form on the road at the LD Nutrition Stadium and Swinton’s challenge to be the first team to beat them in the 2020 season.
Swinton will be looking to build upon newfound confidence of their own after they dismantled Leigh Miners Rangers 56-0 in their last game in the Challenge Cup fourth round at Heywood Road.
It was a particularly good day for fan favourite Mike Butt as the winger scored four tries in an impressive individual display.
In their last Championship game, Swinton wasn’t so impressive as they lost 20-10 away to Batley Bulldogs.
It was an underwhelming first-half display that lost them the game and Stuart Littler will still have that firmly in his mind as they prepare for the game on Sunday.
Swinton will have to be much better in possession and out of possession if they are to pull off an unlikely victory against Featherstone.
MATCH STATS
Featherstone have won their last twelve meetings with Swinton. The Lions’ last victory against the Rovers was a 12-10 Championship home win on 28 July, 2013.
Featherstone have also won their last nine home meetings with Swinton. The Lions’ last away victory against the Rovers was a 27-14 National League Two play-off win on 24 September, 2006.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
Featherstone 66, Swinton 16 (ChR24, 11/8/19)
Featherstone 38, Swinton 14 (CCR4, 30/3/19)
Swinton 12, Featherstone 24 (ChR7, 17/3/19)
Swinton 18, Featherstone 34 (CSR6, 23/9/18)
Swinton 4, Featherstone 60 (ChR21, 15/7/18)
FEATHERSTONE TICKETS
Tickets for Sunday’s away trip to Featherstone Rovers are available now at the White Swan in Swinton. The Lions retain 20% from sales made so please consider buying through the club.
Adults: £20
Concessions: £15
Juniors: £5
Junior season ticket holders: FREE
TEAM NEWS
Ben Heyes, Tayler Brown and Deane Meadows return in Stuart Littler’s 21-man squad.
LIONS SQUAD TO FACE ROVERS: Gavin Bennion, Louis Brogan, Tayler Brown, Mike Butt, Mitch Cox, Rob Fairclough, Sam Grant, Frankie Halton, Jack Hansen, Lewis Hatton, Ben Heyes, Will Hope, Paddy Jones, Jose Kenga, Richard Lepori, Rhodri Lloyd, Deane Meadows, Ben Morris, Oscar Thomas, Luke Waterworth, Brandon Wood.
ROVERS SQUAD TO FACE LIONS: Wellington Albert, Ben Blackmore, Jack Bussey, Conor Carey, Dane Chisholm, Luke Cooper, Brett Ferres, Brandan French, Gareth Gale, Craig Hall, Josh Hardcastle, James Harrison, Tom Holroyd, Louis Jouffret, Sam Ottewell, Dean Parata, Alec Susino, Alex Sutcliffe, Liam Sutcliffe, Jake Sweeting, Greg Worthington.
Written by Harry Dunnett
