A Day At The Seaside, Some Rugby And A Nightclub...

Ignoring the result... this was a great day! Coming back from Rosie's in Warrington, buying tat including a pink American football from the pound shop in Birchwood, my Dad's 65th birthday, going to Johnson's to watch ludicrous Ross Kemp shows and ending up in South for their 90's night and watching Rob Dunn give us all a lesson in public kissing! Great!


Swinton Lions slumped to their first ever defeat to Blackpool Panthers, conceding two late tries to lose their National League 2 clash 28-30.

Despite having more of the pressure but less of the scoring and a Lions try just before the break making it 18-6, Blackpool, lead by experienced heads Damian Munro, Paul Anderson and John Clough, fought till the end to snatch the win.

There were chants for a change of coach in the stands from Swinton fans after the match and now Sunday’s visit to next to bottom Hunslet looks vital to keep the Lions on course for the play offs.

Swinton lead after just three minutes, Martin Moana burst onto Richie Hawkyard’s pass from close range to crash over. Hawkyard punched over the conversion.

Blackpool though were soon level as Matt Ashe dived over near the posts after questionable defence with ex-Lion Paul Ashton popping over the goal.

The Lions went back ahead with some great play down the left hand side, Ben Williamson breaking through, drawing the full back and sending in his winger Marlon Billy. Hawkyard did exceptionally well in the gusty wind to land the kick.

The Panthers could and probably should have been level as Ashton worked a runaround with Anderson but carelessly tossed the ball in touch rather than to Munro. Williamson then had to intercept to defuse another Ashton move near the tryline.

Ashton’s grubber for the corner did meet Blackpool’s marauding full back Jonny Leather but he managed to knock on.

Even when Swinton were reduced to twelve once again this season, as Hulse was sinbinned after a plague of interference calls, Semisi Cocker dropped Ashton’s pass on the first tackle.

Then Gareth Hayes’ massive charge earned Swinton position, Billy went close but kept play going for Moana to jink over by the sticks for his second converted score.

However, Martin Crompton has managed to instil belief into his Panthers outfit and they came out in the second half fully believing all three points could be theirs.

It immediately yielded rewards, Ashton bobbled a ball into the in goal and livewire hooker Clough beat Neil Rigby to the ball with Ashe goaling.

Off yet another surging Moana run, the Lions went very close, McGovern’s kick hung around in the corner due to the wind, Munro completely missed it, but it then deceived Billy and Leather appeared to boot it dead.

It was Moana’s lofted pass that did create the next score; the ball found the way to Darren Bamford who sent in Barry Hamilton for a textbook winger’s try, to Swinton’s cost later on, too far out for Hawkyard.

Blackpool were back within a score when Clough fed Craig Tunstead who arced in under the posts for another six pointer.

They should have done better when Kris Ratcliffe charged through and exchanged passes with Anderson but Hamilton’s speedy recovery tackle pulled him down, Ashe then kicked the ball straight at Chris Frodsham.

In spite of this, Swinton then looked to have read the final act on the Panthers’ hopes as twice Gary Sykes was stopped short, once after a determined run and again after trying to dive over from dummy half before Liam McGovern sent in Hayes for a deserved try.

Dave Llewellyn then gave a perfect reason why Swinton should never have released him despite his injury problems as he sped through a number of Lions tacklers with five minutes to go.

Then in the final minutes, Anderson did likewise from the other centre position, evading Rigby’s despairing grasp and unleashing Munro who outpaced Billy to go under the posts, Ashe was cool enough to slot over the winning kick.

Anderson nearly grabbed another late score for the bubbling Panthers but for a forward pass early on in the move while the disappointed Swinton side were left only with a bonus point to console them.

Swinton: Chris Frodsham, Barry Hamilton, Darren Bamford, Ben Williamson, Marlon Billy, Richie Hawkyard, Gary Hulse, Rob Line, Gary Sykes, Chris Tyrer, Darren Gibson, Neil Rigby, Martin Moana
SUBS: Liam McGovern, Mike Smith, Rob Ball, Gareth Hayes

Blackpool: Jonny Leather, Damian Munro, Paul Anderson, Dave Llewellyn, Sean Weed, Matt Ashe, Paul Ashton, John Warriner, John Clough, Pete Fairhurst, John Boland, Kris Ratcliffe, Deon Duell
SUBS: Andy Wallace, Semisi Cocker, Darryl Kay, Craig Tunstead

Referee: Robert Hicks

Attendance: 330

MOTM: Swinton: Martin Moana, Blackpool: John Clough

Mad Keith Scares Us Again...

This was not such a good day... despite the result! Abysmal game, soggy conditions, my sister messing us around, the all surrounding gloom of the last week, I'll post about that soon... Anyway 4 points and 2 Advertiser reports from the last couple of fixtures!

Plus Keith, public transport from Swinton to Hunslet, on a Sunday, you try it...


Swinton Lions scrapped out a narrow 17-6 win over Hunslet Hawks to claw themselves back into the seventh and last play off place in National League 2.

Swinton only really looked the superior side following the introduction of Craig Ashall for a second spell off the bench with twenty minutes remaining. Ashall scored the Lions’ final try and looked a real danger with some powerful running and smart ideas.

The Lions lack of attacking inventiveness will be tempered by the knowledge that Hunslet only scored one try – off an interception – and very rarely tested the Lions’ line.

It was an appalling spectacle of a first half had precious little ostentatious skill on show. The Lions’ first real attack followed a scrum ten metres out, Martin Moana picked the ball up from loose forward, Marlon Billy left it and Ben Williamson was pushed out of play trying to retrieve the situation.

Hawks’ scrum half Phil Hasty scorched through the Lions line but Gary Hulse playing at full back met him with an almighty smash. They spread the play but Nathan Larvin’s pass to Scott Childs was well forward.

Fine defence from Hulse again caused Steve Morton to spill the ball in his own tryline area. From the drop out Liam McGovern poked a grubber through for Darren Bamford to slide onto, Richie Hawkyard failed to convert.

Hunslet second rower Danny Cook almost shimmied through around the half hour mark but a ball to Dean Townend was debatably forward.

Phil Wood’s one handed offload and Moana barging off a number of Hunslet players almost created an opening before the break but were thwarted by a lack of support and had to settle for a Hawkyard penalty for dissent for a 6-0 interval lead.

Swinton were straight out of the blocks, again Moana attracted a gaggle of tacklers but the ball he dropped off for Bamford was dived on by Townend.

Hunslet replied from a supreme cut out pass from Cook which released Townend who chipped inside but Wood outmuscled a Hunslet player and Ashall picked up the pieces.

McGovern’s 40-20 should have given the Lions some much needed points but on the second tackle after a set on the Hawks line and a dropout, Rob Ball dropped the ball!

Hawkyard banged over another goal before Andy Robinson snaffled a long pass by the stand off and sprinted for the line. Stuart Young converted.

Five minutes later and Ashall decided the game, Keegan Hirst threw a pass to no one and he scooped it up and went half the length of the pitch, with Hawkyard’s goal, Hunslet needed to score twice to win.

The Hawks supporters were irate when Hasty’s astute pass which left Morton out wide with a three on one overlap was judged forward. They were even more irate when the Lions added another Hawkyard two pointer with the next possession!

The game should have been killed off when Chris Frodsham plucked Ashall’s chip to the corner out of the air but failed to ground the ball in the corner.

He made up for it quickly though as a huge hit on Hirst dislodged the ball and McGovern placed a drop goal over for 17-6.

Swinton tried all they could to prevent their rivals claiming a bonus point, McGovern missed another drop goal, Ashall sent Billy racing down the flank but cover got to him before a Hawkyard grubber just evaded him at the corner.

Even a penalty handed to Swinton in the final minutes after Hunslet attempted to settle a few scores away from the rugby, in an incident put on report, slipped wide. Nevertheless, the first win in four games will be very welcome in the Lions camp.

Swinton: Gary Hulse, Andy Saywell, Darren Bamford, Ben Williamson, Marlon Billy, Richie Hawkyard, Liam McGovern, Rob Line, Phil Wood, Chris Tyrer, Neil Rigby, Bruce Johnson, Martin Moana
SUBS: Chris Frodsham, Craig Ashall, Rob Ball, Gareth Hayes

Hunslet: Nathan Larvin, Steve Morton, Andy Robinson, Dean Townend, Scott Childs, Stuart Young, Phil Hasty, Keegan Hirst, Jonny Wainhouse, Glen Pennington, Danny Cook, Anthony Thewliss, Karl Gunney
SUBS: Richard Chapman, Ben Walkin, Matt Carbutt, Wayne Freeman

Referee: Mike Dawber

Attendance: 414

MOTM: Swinton: Craig Ashall, Hunslet: Danny Cook