20 replies to this topic

[duffymoon]

A great effort from the lads in atrocious conditions! Just a shame we couldnt get the try we richly deserved.We looked really good offensively today,and caused Huddersfield one or two anxious moments.Got to mention David Mills who just doesnt seem interested,totally baffled how he was a stand out performer at Leigh last season and has done nothing for us.

[PaulT]

The sooner David Mills is dropped the better!

Great effort from the lads today, if we play like that in the league, we'll pick up a few wins.

For me, our man of the match was Darren Hawkyard, great tackling and looked good with the ball.

Where was Adam Higson?

[duffymoon]

Who was Chris Clarke?

[Blakemore]

I first noticed chris clark on bbc sports website as listed on there in our 19 man squad, he is a back row forward. From Slaithwaite Saracens of which ritchie hawkyard and marlon billy coach, found this hope it helps

Chris Clark

[RIGGY]

Adam Higson was out injured today and i thought Sam Reay did a great job at right centre.

Chris Clark has joined from Slaithwaite (Richie & Darren Hawkyards team). He is a 24 year old back row forward and played for Huddersfield and Bradford Academies. Didn't look out of place on his debut.

Match report will be on website in a couple of hours.

Riggy

[duffymoon]

Yes agreed Riggy ,Sam Reay did well,never lets us down when selected.

[Furryenzo]

Great effort from the boys today, dont think the score accuratley reflects the game and had we have had rub of the green we could have had a couple of tries. I thought we matched them in the middle of the park and it was great to force 3 goal line dropouts! Credit to Huddersfield though their strong and quick and pretty lethal in the opposition 20!

David Mills is an absolute disgrace, his body language is enough to know hes simply not interested. Can probably count how many times he took the ball up on one hand, and the amount of yards he made all game also on one hand. I would even go as far as to say Paul Southern was better than him!!! Hes the kind of player you just dont want at your club and signing him is proving to be a big error, I just hope McCormack sees it this way and drops him for the remainder of the season. He should be a last resort. There is no justification for him playing above Gorski and Wingfield (even though they are 2nd rowers) or any of the lads who played today. I know im ranting on a bit, but he frustrates me more and more every game.

And yes agreed Sam Reay always impresses me, I think hes unlucky not to get more game time, but higson and armstrong are the best centres swinton have had in a long time IMO.

Edited by Furryenzo, 29 April 2012 - 05:28 PM.

[mark richardson]

We deserved a try and Morts came from no more forward a pass than around three of "FARTOWNS."
Superb effort from 16 of our lads today,the exception has been named.
Brilliant atmosphere from our fans. Rarely enjoyed a 52 -0 defeat as much. Brought my godson and he had a fabulous day out.

[hilly]

Adam Higson was out injured today and i thought Sam Reay did a great job at right centre.

Chris Clark has joined from Slaithwaite (Richie & Darren Hawkyards team). He is a 24 year old back row forward and played for Huddersfield and Bradford Academies. Didn't look out of place on his debut.

Match report will be on website in a couple of hours.

Riggy

i agree sam reay never lets anyone down his pass to put mort in was perfect he ran the ball in hard all day unlike mills who is a waste of time

[PhillH]

A hiding to nothing, and a relatively poor gate of marginally over 2,000 but at least there was clear improvement from last season's debacle at Warrington. My feeling was half of the 112 conceded that night were the responsibility of two players who were not in the side today; with the improved line up in the three quarters, a few rested from the Huddersfield ranks and a constant heavy downpour I had hope of the Lions keeping within 50 - almost did it, even with the outstanding player of last week Adam Higson missing.

It was nice to start with forcing 3 repeat sets to show straight away that a humiliation on the Halliwell Jones scale was not going to reoccur.

The biggest pity was not to get on the scoresheet despite several spells of pressure and 3 quality clean breaks up the middle. Support play in that type of situation has been lacking all season and is something that needs addressing - someone with pace needs to be given the brief to support as neither of the two halfbacks provide that as part of their natural game.

Tom Armstrong was caught too narrow defensively a few times - another area that needs working on as its occurred often enough against Championship opposition too.

Credit to Sam Reay. I feared for him to be honest, coming into the team cold against one of the best sides in the country, particularly as his return from injury last season was a poor performance. He shored things up effectively enough, although for me will never provide the sort of threat Adam Higson does with ball in hand.

It was important to come out of this game with confidence intact as the next three league games are all winnable. Its time to start turning potential into a run of victories. Mid season features a run of away games and it would be good to have some points in the bag before that.

And by the way, what a fantastic advertisement that game was for 3G pitches - all that rain yet there was bairly a blotch of mud on any of the players. Perhaps the score would've been closer on a mud-heap, but the surface was immaculate throughout. It cost £700k to install that pitch apparently, but what impressive results.

[Blue Monkey]

And by the way, what a fantastic advertisement that game was for 3G pitches - all that rain yet there was bairly a blotch of mud on any of the players. Perhaps the score would've been closer on a mud-heap, but the surface was immaculate throughout. It cost £700k to install that pitch apparently, but what impressive results.

It's obviously down to excellent drainage with the pitch. My complements to the grounds staff.

[Blue Monkey]

Who was Chris Clarke?

Pity he's not related to 1960s Lions hooker Derek "Crazy Horse" Clarke. Or maybe he's one of his grandsons.

[mark richardson]

A hiding to nothing, and a relatively poor gate of marginally over 2,000 but at least there was clear improvement from last season's debacle at Warrington. My feeling was half of the 112 conceded that night were the responsibility of two players who were not in the side today; with the improved line up in the three quarters, a few rested from the Huddersfield ranks and a constant heavy downpour I had hope of the Lions keeping within 50 - almost did it, even with the outstanding player of last week Adam Higson missing.

It was nice to start with forcing 3 repeat sets to show straight away that a humiliation on the Halliwell Jones scale was not going to reoccur.

The biggest pity was not to get on the scoresheet despite several spells of pressure and 3 quality clean breaks up the middle. Support play in that type of situation has been lacking all season and is something that needs addressing - someone with pace needs to be given the brief to support as neither of the two halfbacks provide that as part of their natural game.

Tom Armstrong was caught too narrow defensively a few times - another area that needs working on as its occurred often enough against Championship opposition too.

Credit to Sam Reay. I feared for him to be honest, coming into the team cold against one of the best sides in the country, particularly as his return from injury last season was a poor performance. He shored things up effectively enough, although for me will never provide the sort of threat Adam Higson does with ball in hand.

It was important to come out of this game with confidence intact as the next three league games are all winnable. Its time to start turning potential into a run of victories. Mid season features a run of away games and it would be good to have some points in the bag before that.

And by the way, what a fantastic advertisement that game was for 3G pitches - all that rain yet there was bairly a blotch of mud on any of the players. Perhaps the score would've been closer on a mud-heap, but the surface was immaculate throughout. It cost £700k to install that pitch apparently, but what impressive results.

What does being caught too narrow defensively mean? Ive never heard that phrase.

[PhillH]

It's obviously down to excellent drainage with the pitch. My complements to the grounds staff.

Its a combination of excellent drainage (probably on a bed of coarse sand) but also the top surface itself; its a combination of natural grass and a synthetic mesh - so virtually no divots either.

[PhillH]

What does being caught too narrow defensively mean? Ive never heard that phrase.

Tom Armstrong has a trait of offering his opposite number a lot of space on his outside, such that pacier types can make hay by sprinting between him and his winger. Greg McNally for Leigh having been a prime example - nipped into that space, Armstrong couldn't quite get across to him in time, this drew in Dodd - which is exactly what McNally was waiting for and promptly slipped the pass to put Maden away for a try. Root cause was poor positioning by Armstrong. Its either a case of ball watching or Armstrong backing himself to have the pace to get across and cover the gap, but several times he hasn't got there fast enough, the result being a break down his outside. He needs to move a few yards wider - change the angle of line he runs when defending and concentrate on tracking his opposite number rather than watching the ball. Against slower opponents he can make amends and get across there, but when he comes up against guys who have got the legs on him over the first ten yards he gets out-manoeuvred.

[MALCOLM WHO ?]

Darren hawkyard never has a bad game, Sam Reay looked as though he has never been away, the break he made in the first half was brilliant. Gutted they reached the 50 mark even more gutted the ref didnt allow our try. I bet the Huddersfield fans will be out in force for there next game.

[Bryce]

The Leigh game at the end of the season will be worth more to us that that, in regards to crowd numbers.

[PhillH]

The Leigh game at the end of the season will be worth more to us that that, in regards to crowd numbers.

Particularly as the Lions will at best have received 50% of the gate yesterday.

Underlines Bluemonkey's point that there is no such thing as a "plum" Challenge Cup draw for a side in the position of the Lions at the moment. There's only 2 or 3 SL sides that can attract a decent crowd of 5,000+ for this type of match nowadays.

Interesting too that reports suggest the gate at Barton yesterday was appaulingly low. So bad that it appears the City Reds have declined to give an official gate figure, the only number I've seen being a grossly optimistic "est." of 4,500 in League Express. Divide that by 4 and you'd be about right from what I've been told. And that was for an all SL tie!

[mark richardson]

Thanks for clearing that up Phil,looked like he had a great game to me,but ill concentrate entirely on his weaknesses next week.

[Furryenzo]

I understand the points made, but something that has been overlooked is the weather, which was absolutely horrible, I think had it have been a sunny afternoon the crowd would have been a bit more like 3500/4000. Even with it being 2600 (x 0.5 = 1300) is still a higher gate than we get at most of our home games, and a chance for the lads to see what they can do against the supermen, although pointless to a certain extent, it will still benefit the club if only slightly, but anythings better than nothing...