Injury worries for Swinton

Swinton have their work cut out to get their squad into shape for the opening game of the season on Sunday week.

The 36-16 defeat to Warrington Under-20s highlighted a squad light on numbers and missing too many key players through injury.

The Lions were without assistant player-coach Ian Watson, new signings Tom Armstrong and Adam Higson, and experienced back rower Andy Gorski – and a talented young Warrington side made them pay.

Coach Steve McCormack was disappointed but not downhearted and said: “We gave them a 20 point lead again by half-time – something we have done in all three pre-season games but in the second half we got better.

“It was quite a young Warrington team but with a bit of first team experience in there, some really good kids.

“They started the game really well and we couldn’t get out of our own half for the first 20 minutes.

“They kicked the ball really well and as you would expect from a Warrington team they were well drilled and had some outstanding young players.

“As the game went on we got into it. It was 22-6 at one point and we got it back to 22-16 and were in with a chance.

“But the back end of the game they turned on a little bit of style and scored a few late tries.”

Warrington went 12-0 up with tries from Gene Ormsby and Bobbie Goulding, converted by Ryan Shaw.

The Lions hit back when prop Mike Morrison barged over and Ian Mort added the kick.

Two more Warrington tries from James Mendeika and Ben Currie put more daylight between the teams but Martin Ainscough collected a Rob Foxen kick to score under the posts and Mort converted.

Swinton reduced the deficit further in the second half with a neat try from Chaz I’Anson.

But all the defending the Lions had been doing took it’s toll and Warrington added two more converted tries from James Saltonstall and Gavin Bennion for a comfortable win.