Chorley Lynx 12 - Swinton Lions 30 SUNDAY's opener at Victory Park saw no less than 18 players making their debuts for the two teams.

Chorley won that one10-8, but it was the Lions who inflicted a 25th successive defeat on Chorley's new side.

A fourth minute try from Lynx winger Paul Cookson came as the result of an interception of a wayward Lions pass by full back Paul Roberts.

Swinton thought they had hit back, but Matt Bateman's 11th minute try was disallowed for a forward pass by Paul Loughlin.

Swinton took the lead after 15 minutes when Wayne English broke to send Paul Smith racing away. Loughlin was on hand to take the final pass and cross in the corner for the Lions first try of the new season, emulating his feat of last season.

Mick Nanyn's conversion made the score 6-4 in Swinton's favour.

Lee Hansen, Smith and Phil Veivers created an opportunity for Phil Cushion, but the second rower knocked on with the line wide open.

Lynx levelled matters on 21 minutes with a Fisher penalty goal after Cushion was penalised for lying on in a tackle.

Conversion

Swinton soon hit back with a Smith try scored directly from a scrum in the Chorley quarter. Nanyn's conversion gave them a 12-6 advantage.

As the half hour approached, English raced 70 metres to send Andy Cheetham diving athletically under the posts for another Nanyn converted try.

The Lions extended their lead ten minutes after the break with the first of two Nanyn tries after good approach work involving Smith, Veivers and Tony Barrow.

Chorley pegged back the difference to 22-12 when half back Gareth Potter scored by the posts following some scrappy play by the Lions on their own line.

Fisher had no trouble with the conversion, but he was sin-binned shortly afterwards for tripping Veivers in an incident which was put on report.

An intense period of pressure on the Chorley line saw Nanyn cross in the corner for a try he couldn't convert. He also failed to convert Paul Crossland's try three minutes from time after the Lions had created a large right wing overlap.

There is no doubt that Chorley are a much-improved side under the coaching of Graeme West.

As for Mike Gregory, he will be happy with a good, solid win -- but, at the same time, worried about injuries to Hanson (eye), Bateman (ankle) and Andy Cheetham (cut head).

SWINTON LIONS: English, Mead, Nanyn, Loughlin, Bateman, Veivers, Peet, Neill, Barraclough, Hanson, Cushion, Doherty, Smith. Substitutes: Cheetham, Barrow, Evans, Crossland.

Referee: Mr John Farrell (Widnes). Attendance: 670.