Browse Sections

• Salford City Reds
• Local football
• Local cricket

Barrow Raiders 70 Swinton Lions 14

Dave Lawrenson
3/ 7/2008

THIRTEEN proved to be an unlucky number for Swinton Lions as Paul Kidd’s struggling side crashed to their heaviest defeat of the season on Sunday.

They were well and truly ram-Raided by the new leaders of National League Two.

Barrow scored 13 tries to take their league record for the season to 13 wins from 13 games and to highlight many deficiencies in Swinton’s play.

The Lions’ tendency to start games slowly again reared its ugly head as they embarrassingly found themselves 24-0 down after just nine minutes of play.

They were also guilty of falling off a countless number of tackles and struggling to break down Barrow’s organised defence.

The Lions did at least show some pride after the half-time break with their improved endeavour being rewarded by consolation tries from winger Andy Saywell, who bagged an 80-metre interception score, and half back Paul Crook, who finished off good work by Chris Frodsham after being granted his first start by Kidd. But there is no getting away from the fact that this performance was simply not good enough.

Kidd and Swinton’s fans were rightly fuming with their players’ error-strewn play and questionable commitment.

Barrow bossed proceedings from start to finish as the Lions slipped down to ninth spot in the table.

Swinton have looked out-of-sorts for a while now and Kidd has moved to rectify their disappointing form by signing Adam Bowman and Dayne Donoghue on month-long loans from Widnes.

Back rower Donoghue made an encouraging Lions debut on Sunday. He flew over for a try on 13 minutes with Martin Moana, Dean Gorton and Saywell all coming close to adding other first half Swinton touch downs.

Frodsham impressed from the substitutes’ bench but the Lions badly missed hooker Phil Wood, who was unavailable due to work commitments, and Paul Raftery, who has been recalled by Barrow but did not play for them on Sunday.

Team: Hulse; Saywell, Bamford, Gorton, Billy; Hawkyard, Crook; Line, Sykes, Johnson, Rigby, Donoghue, Ashall. Subs used: Frodsham, Smith, Moana, Hayes. Tries: Donoghue, Saywell, Hulse. Goals: Crook. Attendance: 1,427.