SWINTON Lions go into Sunday's crunch clash with Dewsbury hoping it will be the start of a winning run that will help haul them away from the bottom reaches of the Northern Ford Premiership writes Marc Higginson

The Lions have so far been unable to register their first win of the season and this statistic is weighing heavier around the Lions players necks by the game - a fact not lost on manager Tony Humphries.

"We will be going all-out for the win on Sunday to get that first win under our belts," he said.

The Lions are showing enough endeavour but not getting the luck that all successful teams need to win matches. This was shown last Sunday when the Lions went down 48-4 to the Huddersfield Giants, despite a whole-hearted and brave performance.

That game saw Lee Hansen pick up a ban and he will be missing after Sunday's game while Dale Holdstock is struggling to be fit for the Dewsbury clash due to a rib injury sustained last weekend. Long-term absentees Jason Johnson and Gaz Chambers continue to be frustrated spectators.

Humphries believes Sunday's game will be a test for his charges, saying: "Dewsbury are a good side that will take some beating.

"They were well beat by Leigh last weekend and had a slow start to the season and are there for the taking. They will not be as difficult as some of the teams we have faced in recent weeks.

"Andy Fisher will be a danger because most of Dewsbury's good play goes through him and they have a big set of packs but I'm more bothered about my team performing."

The Lions will certainly need to perform, or they could face another mauling but they are wounded and stung by recent results and Dewsbury could suffer the fall-out.