Dewsbury Rams 18 Swinton Lions 22 - Hosts 'self-combust' in defeat to bottom-of-the-table Swinton

HEAD COACH: Lee Greenwood. Picture: Allan McKenzie\SWpix.com.

The Lions emerged as 22-18 victors when Jack Hansen scored in the final seconds to clinch victory for the Championship’s bottom-side.

It was Swinton’s first win of the league season - at the 15th attempt - and despite losing players to injury before kick-off, Greenwood was unhappy with the manner of the loss.

“Like most teams, we were heavily disrupted going into the game. So that makes it difficult before you even start,” he said.

“We had three players pull out after our last training session.

“Nevertheless, we got ourselves into a commanding position at 18-4 and then just self-combusted.

“It has been a bit of a theme since I have been at the club, where we just can’t see games out.

“Even games we have won, we have just ended up clinging on.

“It is something I need to look at and work on for when we get in that position again.”

Owen Buckley went over after five minutes for the Lions but Dewsbury took control with tries from Matthew Fleming, Jon Magrin and Sam Day.

However, Louis Brogan and Mitch Cox hit back with a try each to reduce the deficit to two points.

Hansen kicked a penalty goal four minutes from time to level the scores before winning the contest with his late try after Paul Sykes’s attempted drop-goal was charged down.

“There is not one thing you can put your finger on, it is a whole combination of things,” added Greenwood of what went wrong for Dewsbury. .

“We need to improve on it and see a game out and understand what to do when you are in a winning position by 14 points.”

He continued: “It is literally just about what 17 I can get out. It is a grim season, I don’t think many coaches are enjoying it.

“You can plan a session and then half the people aren’t going to be there, either through injury or Covid. You usually get one team who has a disrupted season through injury, but everyone is having that.

“You are so limited to what you can do in training. Everyone is scratching round for loan players.”