Wounded Lions threaten to roar

BEWARE the wounded animal! Oldham face a Swinton Lions side tonight who were humbled 112-0 by Super League high-flyers Warrington Wolves in the Carnegie Challenge Cup a week ago to the day.

Records tumbled at the Halliwell Jones Stadium as Lee Briers became Warrington’s all-time top points after a remarkable individual display.

He chalked up 44 points in the tie to beat his own previous best of 40 against York in 2000, and his 16 goals surpassed the record 14 he scored in the same game.

It was also Warrington’s best-ever victory while, for Swinton, it was the worst defeat in their history.

For the Lions it was a first black mark in a season which has so far gone to plan in Co-operative Championship One.

Riding high in the table — they have won seven and drawn one of their games — Steve McCormack’s side are overwhelming favourites to gain promotion.

Despite the emphatic scoreline, the Lions coach praised his players’ willingness to stick to the cause against a super-charged Warrington team.

Coach McCormack knows only too well that Swinton will be rated by their finishing position in the league.

And in a warning to his rivals, he said: “We won’t get judged on this game, we are judged on our league campaign and I’m sure this will be a catalyst for better things. It will make us not break us, that’s for sure.

“I was really proud of our efforts, we couldn’t have worked any harder, but we just came up against a brilliant team, and I have nothing but admiration for my players’ efforts and the way Warrington played.”

The Lions have already beaten Tony Benson’s Roughyeds side twice this season and will be warm order to make it a hat-trick at The Willows tonight (8pm kick-off).

They won 29-20 in the Northern Rail Cup in February and dished out a 68-24 beating in a league game a month later.

Former Oldham player Gavin Dodd got two of Swinton’s 12 tries at the Whitebank Stadium.

Also included in the 17 on that day were Ian Watson and Phil Joseph, who have also pulled on the Roughyeds jersey.

There were mitigating circumstances for such a one-sided scoreline as Oldham lacked experience.

Benson was without a clutch of older heads, with five of the eight local lads on show under the age of 21.

The Kiwi also had to call upon two debutants, former Saddleworth Rangers winger Shaun Robinson and ex-Hollinwood centre Alistair Williams.

And with injuries continuing to bite, Oldham again look to be up against it.