On paper, Mark Dunning’s men came into Sunday’s fixture with bags of momentum. A five-game unbeaten run – all on the road – and an opportunity to record a record five-game winning streak against a Swinton Lions side who had recorded just their first competition point the previous week against Keighley.
In reality, things were somewhat different. Midlands were coming back off three weeks of no competition due to North Wales Crusaders forfeiting the 1895 Cup tie two weeks ago. For the hosts, they had a new Head Coach in Anthony Murray and a host of new impressive signings from North Wales (such as Jordy Gibson, Pat Ah Van and Josh Eaves), as well as a familiar face to Coventry Bears supporters in Dante Morley-Samuels.
Swinton had also been very unlucky not to take both competition points from their 22-22 draw with the Cougars, having coughed up a 22-6 lead. The Lions were clearly not interested in repeating that story at Heywood Road, and were motivated to break their duck at the 10th time of asking.
The game started fairly evenly, with the hosts clearly up for the challenge and threatening early on. Despite that it would be the Canes who came within inches of opening the deadlock, as a knock-back from Aidan McGowan found Ollie Roberts in a position to race down the right edge before being pushed so that his right foot hit the touchline before rolling over the try-line.
On the 20-minute mark the Lions opened the scoring, as the Canes were left to rue conceding a six-again on the last when new-signing Jordy Gibson shrugged off a tackle to slide over left of the sticks (4-0). Reece Briers was on hand to convert (6-0).
The Canes would almost immediately bounce back however, with the returning Lewis Else showing a quick turn of pace to race through the Swinton defence and dive over under the posts (6-4). Sully Medforth would draw the sides level with the conversion (6-6).
Momentum would shift again as hosts took the lead again just five minutes later, with a abject pass bobbling along the ground until it was picked up and turned into an opportunity for Reece Briers to cut through a gap and score (10-6). Briers would go on to convert his own effort (12-6). The score would remain unchanged for the rest of the half.
The second half would start strongly for Midlands, who came closest to scoring in the opening 10 minutes as another dangerous run by Lewis Else saw him held just before the line, with Ryan Johnson attempting to force his way over on the last before some resilient defending halted his momentum.
Despite this, Swinton would enter a 20-minute period where they would take control of the game. Their first try would come from a cheeky grubber following a scoot from dummy half that was not dealt with by the Canes defence, with Tom Ratchford scooping up the loose ball to score (16-6). Briers would be unable to convert. Midlands almost struck back as Brandon Moore darted over the line from dummy-half, but the referee deemed that Isaac Shaw had not played the ball correctly in the build-up.
Things would then turn in Swinton’s favour as an attempt to trap a Lions kick on the last would graze Todd Horner’s boot and bounce over the dead-ball line for a goal-line drop out, and on the last tackle of the resulting set Josh Eaves sold a dummy to scoot over from short range (20-6), with Briers converting (22-6). Sully Medforth’s kick restart would then go out on the full, and this opportunity allowed Fin Irwin to crash over for back to back scores (26-6). Briers would again convert (28-6).
Despite the game being out of reach, the Canes would plough on and produce perhaps their best section of the match. Matty Chrimes would take advantage of an overlap created by Toby Warren but would be brought down 30m out before Ryan Johnson’s attempted grubber would roll into touch.
A couple of minutes later, Matty Chrimes would make another break through the middle before pulling off an impressive judo takedown on the tackling Lions full-back. His efforts would eventually open up space for Midlands to go from left to right and put Todd Horner in space to score down the right edge (28-10), with Else unable to convert.
The final hooter would go a few minutes later, and the Canes five-game unbeaten run would go with it. Mark Dunning’s men will need to dust themselves down as they face a seventh straight away game in the Capital against the league leaders: London Broncos.
Man of the Match:
Matty Chrimes (Sponsored by Project Furniture)
Tries:
Else and Horner
Cons:
Medforth (1/1), Else (0/1)
