Browse Sections

• Salford City Reds
• Local football
• Local cricket

No weak links

Claire Mooney
19/ 5/2005

Rugby League
Swinton Lions 84
Blackpool 12

SWINTON Lions enjoyed a 16-try demolition of Blackpool Panthers in the battle of the big cats.

The National League Two club's hopes of attracting a 1,000-strong crowd may have fallen flat but the 588 spectators who did turn up could have no complaints about the quality of Swinton's rugby.

Their pacemen had a field day with a hat-trick for Lee Patterson and two tries apiece for man of the match Wayne English, Marlon Billy and Stuart Oldham.

Lee Marsh notched a personal tally of 26 points with two tries and nine goals.

But this was a day when there were no real weak links in Swinton's ranks.

Leading 72-0, they relaxed sufficiently to let the visitors in for two tries in four minutes. But no one could blame them for fading slightly on a blistering hot day.

By then the game had been well and truly buried as a contest. Indeed, with points coming at the rate of more than one a minute in the first half, the Lions had the points in the bag by the interval.

English's brilliant run got the ball rolling with Patterson and Billy also touching down in the first 10 minutes.

Further tries from Marsh, Mick Coates, Paul Southern and Oldham pushed the score to 38-0 before Patterson and Billy rounded off the first half scoring.

Blackpool boss Kevin Ashcroft must have given his team a half-time rocket as his troops tried much harder in the second half but they failed to bridge the class gap.

Former Panthers player Ian Parry brought the half-century up on 48 minutes with Oldham, English, Marsh and Patterson following him over the line to take the score to an overwhelming 72-0.

Some sharp work by Blackpool centre Glen Godbee brought some relief for his side. His two tries were both converted by Jake Johnstone.

But the Lions had the last word with Wes Rogers and Warren Ayres adding the final touchdowns.

Joseph converted Rogers' try with Marsh adding three second half goals.

SWINTON: English; Oldham, Patterson, Maye, Billy; Coates, Watson; Southern, Joseph, Rogers, Barton, Sinfield, Marsh. Subs used: Ayres, Russell, Heaton, Parry. Tries: English (2), Patterson (3), Billy (2), Marsh (2), Coates, Oldham (2), Southern, Parry, Rogers, Ayres. Goals: Marsh (9), Joseph. Star man: Lee Marsh.

BLACKPOOL: Bretherton; Johnstone, Godbee, Kilgannon, Andrews; McGovern, Gambles; Martin, Roden, Jones, Chamberlain, Redford, Smith. Subs used: Ramsdale, Lomax, Ormesher, Tipeny. Tries: Godbee (2). Goals: Johnstone (2).

Ref: Phil Bentham.

Att: 588.