8 replies to this topic

[Furryenzo]

I didnt go, I know nothing about the game. Now...

We have just lost significantly to a team in the league below us, gateshead thunder did better at york than we did and our promotion rivals keighley battered a decent hornets side, away.

However we only played on thursday night and have done alot of travelling, so it was always going to be a massive ask, york will have had similar strains on their squad, should we be worried? I dont know what to read into it personally...

[Spanish Knight]

I didnt go, I know nothing about the game. Now...

We have just lost significantly to a team in the league below us, gateshead thunder did better at york than we did and our promotion rivals keighley battered a decent hornets side, away.

However we only played on thursday night and have done alot of travelling, so it was always going to be a massive ask, york will have had similar strains on their squad, should we be worried? I dont know what to read into it personally...

York made 9 changes from Thursdays game and it showed, but credit to Gateshead they played well.

[Bryce]

Furryenzo...I'm worried.

3 games that we should have won IMO. I couldn't get up to Barrow today but I listened in via the good BBC Cumbria coverage (7000% better than GMR). It seems like we didn't turn up the the 1st half at all, poor discipline again and we were much better in the 2nd. However, we have got the majority of possession in the 2nd half and only scored 2 tries, one of them through Watto. We didn't have Morty today, a big player for us, but no excuses, we go again next week against Town. Well played Barrow, but another pointless year in the NRC for us. We want players getting game-time next week ready for the start of the season, give Rob Foxen some time on the pitch!

[PhillH]

I heard a rumour that Barrow are getting the decorators in. Its a pity they didn't give me access to the visiting team's dressing room at half time, because if they had I would've saved them the job of taking the paint off the walls.

Firstly, the honorable exceptions.

Ritchie Hawkyard gave absolutely everything he had for the cause. I can pay him no greater compliment than to say watching today's first half was like taking a time machine back to the Wayne English era, admittedly with a bit of peroxide blonde thrown in. A diminutive full back taking the opposition on virtually single handed while the rest of the side were virtual passengers. Drive after drive he took in and never made a mistake defensively. Just a pity he's not 3 inches taller and a few stone heavier, as his efforts are all the more meritorious when you consider the size of him and the fact his reward for his labours is to get battered more often than not.

Mark Smith showed a reasonable degree of commitment also.

BUT after that it was a total shambles. Liam Harrison totally bossed the Swinton forwards, they simply weren't up for the job of matching him physically at all. Even a couple of the Barrow pack who have come in recently from the amateur game were repeatedly dominating the collisions and making 5, 10, 15 yards at a time. This was not a case of playing against a bigger set of players, but against a more committed set of players.

In fact I'm beginning to think the key central problem is not actually a lack of size. Its more the structure of the side when it attacks, which is not allowing the forwards to run with real momentum.

Everything is so half-paced and the line is not positioned so as to allow the ball to get wide. Ian Watson I'm afraid looked thoroughly pedestrian today (particularly on the last minute try when the Barrow centre absolutely left him for dead, but also in general throughout), Gavin Dodd did well to finish his try but also gift wrapped one for Barrow at the other end (didn't even jump for a high ball and still dropped it). There was virtually no scrambling defence to speak of - Darren Holt simply carved the line open with simple switches of play, supported with runners who knew when and where to run, and with deft kicks. Noticeably Darren Holt is no spring chicken either, but he has countered that by taking himself a step removed in the early plays - only coming into play when the ball is put a bit deeper later in the tackle count. Ian Watson meanwhile is in there every play, he's the only dimension the Lions have, so everything is that half beat slower - even when it doesn't need to be and Mark Smith should be playing it simple and basically cutting out the middle man - give it to the runners direct, don't feel we can only ever play through Watson.

The modern way is for a shallow line on attack - virtually every team does it nowadays. However! Distribution needs to be fast and accurate, else the forwards don't have chance to get a head of steam up before meeting the opposition. Today time and again forwards were taking the ball while stationary and within 2 yards the Barrow pack was on top of them. We are putting in too many passes and over complicating things, through a 34 year old at the hub of it.

In the second half it improved marginally. If Dale Cunniffe had not blobbed yet another guilt edged chance (again!) and with a bit of proper composure later on, the Lions feasibly could've got right back into it. It appeared that rockets had been appropriately placed during the half time break and suddenly the team found some backbone from somewhere. Too little too late though.

Barrow without doubt deserved their win. They totally outclassed the Lions in the first half and showed fighting spirit to resist after the break when Swinton finally showed some desire. The Raiders were only relegated because of what happened off the pitch after all. Good luck to them in righting that wrong and erasing the legacy of Dirty Des when the league starts. The Lions in flashes showed they have the makings of a decent side, but that first half was a disgrace - midweek trip to York or not it really was very very poor indeed.

[RIGGY]

Match Report now on website ladies & gents.

Steve McCormack told the media in the interview that he expects some new faces at the club hopefully before the next game.

[PhillH]

With hindsight one other honorable exception - Lee Wingfield. His arrival off the bench was a big factor in changing the complexion of the game and making the Lions competitive in the second half. Ran like a forward should do. A shame that couldn't be said of any of those who were on the pitch before the break though.

[PhillH]

Match Report now on website ladies & gents.

Steve McCormack told the media in the interview that he expects some new faces at the club hopefully before the next game.

"Lions Hit The Buffers" being a very appropriate headline for the manner of the exit from the Northern Rail Cup.

Nice one. You should get a job with the Sun on Sunday Riggy!

[Furryenzo]

Well from what iv read and seen, I am now also worried. I have complete faith in Steve Mc, however, changes or should I say additions are going to have to be made in the playing squad. At the end of last season we were playing like a tired team, and by all means we had reason to be after the efforts made. However the close season should have rejuvenated the squad, instead we look slow, and in some cases unfit/out of shape from what iv seen. The forwards seem to have put on size but lost pace and our set plays have fallen to bits. I for one cant explain it.

I knew we needed a few forwards, but now im thinking we need a new option at half back. I.e warringtons U21 #33, we need a few new faces to freshen things up. Some (not all) of the forwards need to start pulling their weight, and we need fresh ideas in attack. Because right now we simply arnt good enough. Weve had a full pre-season to prepare and 5/6 games to get match fit and we a far from good enough!

Lets see who steve mc signs in the next few days!

[wberry]

Well... im a bit worried, first half was very poor and second was probably poor at best. All the games iv seen all look the same, we have enough ball but can't finish, look very slow, give to many pens away and in kevin penny we've got a player who will let some tries in but in attack, IF given the ball he will more than make up for it. There's the problum thou, we don't use him EVER!! Not once in the first half did the bal go thru the hands to him, armstrong cut back in every time.

Wayne