Bears hold their own after early Barrow Blitz

Coventry Bears 20 Barrow Raiders 38

Sunday, Butts Park Arena

The sun shone on the artificial pitch at an eerily deserted Butts Park Arena as the two sides returned to League 1 action after the enforced break.

Barrow went into the game as promotion favourites and were keen to assert themselves from the start and within 15 minutes had racked up an 18-0 lead, which proved to be the winning margin after the enterainingand pulsating contest which followed.

After a few exploratory encounters, Nathan Mossopcrossed from dummy half for the visitors and Jake Carter added the extras.

A fluid passing move put Jake Carter over for the visitors second try and again he added two more points.

With less than a quarter of an hour gone, a long kick from Ryan Johnston caused havoc in the Bears defense and Mark Tyson crossed over, and with a third conversion from three, the Bears looked set for a humiliation if the point a minute scoring continued.

But the Bears came back and soon it was they who were piling on the pressure, and Nathan Hill found a gap. Coates was unlucky with the conversion, but made amends when the Bears scored again five minutes later as Sam Bowring took advantage, finding another gap between Raiders defenders.

The powerful Carl Forster brought the Raiders back into the game as he barged over, with another conversion following.

The Bears were not put out of their stride and they came back yet again courtesy of Nathan Hill who reprised his first try from close quarters.

A tight evenly matched spell ensued with no further scores added in the first half.

Barow came out looking stronger in the opening encounters, laying siege to the goal line, but the Bears defenders were resolute under pressure, dispelling the threat time and time again.

However, there was no stopping Jake Carter as he threw himself over the line for his second try, but onthis occasion a conversion was not forthcoming.

But still the Bears weren’t giving in, and Liam Welham plucked the ball out of the air in the Raiders goal line for a spectacular try, and again two more points followed, bringing the score to 20-28.

Barrow looked rattled and a few mistakes allowed the Bears to get further into the game.

Could there possibly be an upset?

The possibility was quelled as Raider Tee Ritson made a sensational run covering half the length of the field, being brought to a halt by Nathan hill, who found himself sin binned for delaying his rise as the Bears regrouped.

Barrow were stopped in their tracks over the line, andthe Bears were soon on the offensive again, but it was Dan Toal next on the scoresheet, crossing over in the far corner as the Raiders numerical advantage showed. The conversion was too difficult to further the score, but the visitors had regained a twelve point cushion.

Barrow looked dangerous, but another handling error eased the pressure on the Bears.

With two minutes to go, Adam Walne extended the visitors lead, with another successful conversion ending the scoring.

For Barrow, this was a hard fought win against a Bears side who chased all the way, and the eighteen point winning margin could be traced back to that first fifteen minutes. For the bulk of the game we saw two teams that were equals.

On ths showing, the Bears will be causing a few upsets this season, especially when cheered on by their sorely missed fans.

MATCH FACTS

BEARS

1 Nathan hill

2 Hayden Freeman

3 Liam Welham

4 Matty Welham

23 Reece Rance

6 Dave Scott

7Dan Coates

8 Peter Ryan

9 Chris Cullimore

19 Brad Ho

11 Jed Charlton

14 Elliot Townsend

12 Kieran Sherratt

Subs (all used)

18 Jordan Paga

25 Jack Dawson

16 Sam Bowring

22Josh Dunne

21 Darius Hamilton

Tries: Hill [20,30], Bowring [25], M. Welham[53]

Goals: Coates 2/2

Sinbin Hill [65]

RAIDERS

1 Luke Cresswell

2 Tee Ritson

3 Declan Hulme

4 Mark Tyson

5 Shan Toal

14 Jake Carter

7 Ryan Johnston

10 Carl Forster

9 Nathan Mossop

17 Adam Wayne

16 Tom Hopkins

12 Jarrad Stack

20 Ben Harrison

Subs (all used)

27 Harry Swarbrick

14 Dan Toal

8 Ryan Duffy

25 Callum Bustin

Tries: Mossop [6], Carter [10,46] ,Tyson [14], Forster [28], Toal[68],

Walne [78]

Goals: Carter 5/7

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match

Bears: Nathan Hill

Raiders: Jake Carter

Penalty count: 8-6

Half-time: 14-24

Referee: Matt Rossleigh

Attendance: 0

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6,0-12,0-18, 4-18, 10-18, 10-24, 14,24; 14-28, 20-32, 20-38

Bears 20 Barrow 38 Betfred League One R1

Bears hold their own after early Barrow Blitz