Swinton fullback Ian Mort is predicting a nailbiting encounter when the Lions take on Dewsbury Rams in the fourth round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup on Sunday.

The Championship One pacesetters travel to West Yorkshire brimming with confidence after seven straight wins at the start of the season but they know it would be a major upset if they were to get the better of their Championship rivals.

Mort said: “I think we can give them a good run for their money.

“We will push them close and we could actually sneak a win.

“Some people are thinking they are quite low down and we are quite high up so we can definitely give them a go.

“But Dewsbury is a tough place to go and we are going to have to be on our A game to pull off a shock result against a Championship side.

“It’s something we have to try and achieve because looking at the bigger picture that’s somewhere where we want to be next season.

“If we can make a good impression against these championship sides now then I think it will go a long way to helping us improve.”

Lions coach Steve McCormack is of a similar opinion predicting a tough battle in hostile surroundings but is buoyed by the way his side performed in the Northern Rail Cup when losing to Championship sides Leigh and Halifax.

He said: "We’ve got a difficult task but we’ll go there with the same preparation and the same style of play as we have done for all our games this season.
"Those performances against Leigh and Halifax give us some optimism.

"But Championship sides don’t give up as many chances and when you do get an opportunity you have to take it.

"Dewsbury will be difficult to beat and have some very good players. They have got dangerous half-backs in Dominic Brambani and Patch Walker and some decent pace in wingers in Michael Wainwright and Austin Buchanan and we will have to be at our best."

Scrum half Ian Watson is doubtful but forwards Tommy Gallagher and Neil Holland, and centre Dean Thompson are all fit.