Naylor salutes side's character after great win

SCOTT NAYLOR

SCOTT Naylor lauded an "absolutely fantastic bunch of lads" after watching his gutsy Oldham side chalk up their fifth win in seven games to drag themselves ever nearer Kingstone Press Championship survival.

Swinton Lions won the first two of four clashes with derby rivals Oldham this season: 28-18 at Heywood Road in March and 25-24 in the Summer Bash game at Blackpool at the end of May.

Roughyeds hit back with a 26-24 win at Bower Fold last month and then achieved parity with this convincing 30-8 victory at Heywood Road in which Naylor's men chalked up their highest score of the season away from home apart from the 36 points they put past Hull KR in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup.

Naylor said: "To restrict Swinton to two tries in the corner in 80 minutes of rugby is testament to how well we defended, especially in the second half.

"Swinton are one of the best teams in this division with ball in hand and to win here by 22 points is a great result for us.

"We were amazing in the first half, and although we invited the Lions back into the game in the second half our defence was awesome.

"That's because I've got an absolutely fantastic bunch of lads who work hard, play to game plans, have a great attitude and do all they have to do to give themselves a good chance of winning.

"We are on a high right now; everything is going well.

"We will have more players available to us next week and we'll just keep doing what we are doing until we are mathematically safe.

"I think both Oldham and Swinton are better teams than their league positions would indicate.

"Swinton will be fine. They are a good side with good players, and they are well coached. This division needs Lancashire sides and we need Swinton for local rivalry. "