Swinton boss hails brilliant cup draw

Swinton’s plum draw against Carnegie Challenge Cup holders Warrington is a fitting reward for their unbeaten start to the season.

That’s the view of head coach Steve McCormack after the never-say-die Lions beat Dewsbury Rams 44-38 in a thriller in West Yorkshire.

Swinton held off a late Dewsbury onslaught with just 11 men after Dale Cunniffe was sent off and Ian Watson sin-binned to earn a dream tie at the home of the Super League leaders on the weekend of May 20-22.

“It’s a brilliant draw and we couldn’t have a better one,” said McCormack.

It’s fantastic opportunity for our players and our club to play against a Super League side at a great stadium and against one of the best teams in the country.

“It’s what dreams are made of. We’ll go there and prepare well.

“Hopefully the club will make a little bit of money out of it and we can test ourselves against some of the best players in the world.

“We took a couple of hundred fans to Dewsbury and for them to get rewarded with Warrington away is brilliant and I’m made up for them.”

Swinton expected a battle in Dewsbury and that’s what they got.

They led 18-0 with tries from Ian Mort, Rob Foxen and Gavin Dodd all converted by Mort.

Dewsbury levelled with three tries from Pat Walker, Dominic Brambani and Austin Buchanan all improved by Brambani.

Tommy Gallagher and Rob Spicer then traded touch downs and it was 24 all at half time.

The Lions went behind for the first time to two Brambani penalties and a lesser team might have buckled in a place like Dewsbury against a team from a higher division.

But Phil Joseph used all his experience to score two tries either side of a Mort penalty and a further try from Lee Wingfield gave the Lions a 16 point lead.

It all kicked off on 75 minutes with Watson and Walker sin-binned for fighting and Cunniffe dismissed for running in to the affray.
Dewbury made the most of the extra man with Buchanan and Brambani touching down but Swinton held on for the victory.

McCormack added: “I’ve every admiration for the players to be honest. I criticise them sometimes but I was proud to be associated with them.

“They were excellent the way they went about their jobs and the way they stood up physically to a good Dewsbury side.”