Another huge weekend at the danger end of the Championship awaits.
I've already mentioned in the Newcastle thread on the Widnes page, that you could do us a huge favour by doing the biz up at KP, but......
We of course, need to help ourselves, and get the better of fellow strugglers Keighley, who come to our gaff on Sunday.
Due to a(nother) glut of injuries, we've managed to obtain four guys on loan until the end of term. One from Cas, two from Wakey, and one from Hunslet.
Last week's sickener at Thunder means that the Cougars' clash must result in two points for us, or we'll be seriously looking at trips to Penryn, and Colwyn Bay next term, instead of to coming to see you at NP.
COME ON YOU LIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Spelly.
@spelly With your good win over Keighley today I think you will stay up now Spelly.
@spelly With your good win over Keighley today I think you will stay up now Spelly.
Thanks for that mate, but we're nowhere near safe yet, coz it was a............
Another heart stopper for the Lions' faithful today, when it finished Swinton 18-10 Keighley,
Whilst we were never behind, the Cougars never went away, and for any neutral there, it was prob a good game to watch.
Elsewhere, Barrow ducked to the Broncos, which added to your win yest, means we're up to eleventh on the ladder, but 'Haven stay above us, coz they beat Sheff at the Rec.
Next for the Lions is a fortnight, when we're across la Manche, and where I won't be holding my breath to add a W to our tally, but..................
Meantime, it's down to that Little Corner of Middlesex, that'll be forever Rugby League next week for Leythers v Robins.
Spelly.
So after the break for Wembley, we're off across la Manche for our next game to play Toulouse, in a clash that's been switched to Carcassonne, coz Japan Yawnion are using Olympique's "normal" ground as a base for the World Cup.
Flying out of Manchester on Thursday to Carcassonne, but we (and the majority of Lions who are making the trip) booked our hotel in Toulouse (long) before we knew of the venue change.
We reserved our best performance of the season for when we played 'em at home, so no doubt they'll be thirsting for revenge on Saturday.
COME ON YOU LIONS!!!!!!
Spelly.
Olympique 26-6 Lions yesterday, and an outstanding performance from my mob!
Oppressive heat, and against FT opposition, I couldn't be prouder!
We scored first, and led 6-4 at the break, meaning the hundred or so traveling fans were bouncing.
As you know, I'm always reluctant to criticise refs, but one or two decisions seemed at the best, iffy to me.
We pushed a team with SL aspirations, in temps that I've never witnessed in all my time watching this game, to the limit!
We just need to recreate that next week when the Bulls come to ours.
Spelly.
Good result that spelly - you be ok this year
Good result that spelly - you be ok this year
Keighley beating Batley has not helped. They've now gone above us on points diff.
They're at Fev next week, whilst we host Bradford.
It's gonna be a real roller coaster until end of term, and I see it going to the wire. We go to 'Fax on the last day.
Incidentally, I read you post on the York thread, so where's home? Obviously not Ditton! 🤣
Spelly.
Another bad result for us last night, with Barrow winning at 'Haven, meaning we're down to second bottom again.
Five games remain to preserve our middle tier status, starting with hosting the Bulls on Sunday. Then it's two consecutive away trips to York and Barrow, 'Haven at home, with term end coming across at the Shay against 'Fax.
It looks like it's gonna go the last day, with fans checking their phones to find out what's going on elsewhere.
Spelly.
It's still any two from five for the dreaded drop in the Championship, with Thunder, Barrow, Keighley, 'Haven, and my mob battling to avoid trips to Cornwall. Colwyn Bay, and the Skolars next term.
All have difficult games this weekend, with the Cougars' trip to POR, prob the most daunting, although the Raiders' match in Albi to play Olympique, won't be much easier.
Newcastle host York, which (on paper) is the easiest of the encounters, whilst the Cumbrians have the long trek to the Smoke, and we're at home to the Bulls.
Nowt'll be confirmed as to who's defo staying up or going down with these encounters, but it's massive for us all, so (biased moi?) here's hoping for an addition to the W columns of Fev, Toulouse, the Knights, the Broncos, and of course, the Lions!
Spelly.
Lions 26-42 Bulls this aft, and we've still not beaten Bradford at home since the infamous Terry Holmes debut back in '85!
The better side won, but the game breaker was prob when they scored twice during the spell when we were a man down following a yellow for (I think) holding down.
No change at the bottom, as all other teams in the drop zone lost over the weekend too, but that is the only crumb of comfort we can draw from the game.
York away is our next appointment, as we continue to battle to keep the likes you mob on our fixture list next term.
It looks like it's gonna run until the last round of fixtures, before we know if it's middle tier football for us again come '24.
Spelly.
We're off to the Minster City on Sunday, searching for a(nother) win to help us secure our middle tier status come '24.
They beat us 40-0 at our gaff, in what was prob our our worst perf of the campaign, and to be honest, we never even looked like troubling the scorers that woeful afternoon!
On paper, it looks like a very difficult task, but on the positive side, after two stuffings off you mob, we went to NP, and won with a bit to spare, so...........
Fingers crossed!
Setting off early, as my grandson Mackenzie is playing in the curtain raiser, and prior to that, it's breakfast at the Hopgrove, just up the road from the Stadium.
COME ON YOU LIONS!!!!!!
Spelly.
Just back from the warm and sunny LNER Stadium, where it finished Knights 26-22 Lions.
Four tries each, but their five from five with the boot, to our three from four was the only diff.
Their second touchdown looked to our (biased) eyes a double movement, but the (unbiased) man in the middle, saw it differently, and so that's another L in the results column for us.
We we worth a draw at least? Probably, but when you're in our position, it seems the only luck that comes your way, is of the bad variety! There are times when "There's no justice!" runs through your mine, and today ticked that box!
The good-ish news is that both Newcastle (who now look doomed) and 'Haven both lost, but where a draw would've been best for us, the Cougars came out on top over Barrow.
Just three rounds remain now for us, and we finish off with the very difficult trip to the Shay, but prior to that, we've to "must win or we go down" games in front of us. Barrow away next week, then hosting 'Haven in a fortnight.
As I've said previously, it's gonna go right down to the wire, before we know if you mob will be on our fixture list next term!
Spelly.
Just back from the warm and sunny LNER Stadium, where it finished Knights 26-22 Lions.
Four tries each, but their five from five with the boot, to our three from four was the only diff.
Their second touchdown looked to our (biased) eyes a double movement, but the (unbiased) man in the middle, saw it differently, and so that's another L in the results column for us.
We we worth a draw at least? Probably, but when you're in our position, it seems the only luck that comes your way, is of the bad variety! There are times when "There's no justice!" runs through your mine, and today ticked that box!
The good-ish news is that both Newcastle (who now look doomed) and 'Haven both lost, but where a draw would've been best for us, the Cougars came out on top over Barrow.
Just three rounds remain now for us, and we finish off with the very difficult trip to the Shay, but prior to that, we've to "must win or we go down" games in front of us. Barrow away next week, then hosting 'Haven in a fortnight.
As I've said previously, it's gonna go right down to the wire, before we know if you mob will be on our fixture list next term!
Spelly.
Forgot to mention that Mackenzie was awarded the m-o-m in the curtain raiser, playing with the likes of Graham Steadman, Adrian Morley, Gareth Ellis, and Danny Brough.
At least you didn't do much damage to your points difference. Very tight down there now, somehow you've got to scrape a victory.
Barrow are unsurprisingly "bigging" Sunday's game up, and a member on 'Haven's board has posted that a week later "Swinton away will be our cup final!"
Two matches back to back, that will define our season, as to whether it's 'Fax, Batley, you mob, et al, who'll be on our fixture list next term, or the likes of Worky, 'Ornits, and Skolars instead.
Newcastle are all but doomed already, so we need to throw everything, and more, into the next two fixtures to retain our middle tier status.
It's not gonna be easy, we're under no illusions at all on that scenario, and I doubt it'll be pretty, but the carrot is there for us, so.................
COME ON YOU LIONS!!!!!!!
Spelly.