Bears v Ironmen Match Report

Rampant Bears too strong for the Ironmen

Coventry Bears 58 South Wales Ironmen 16

Butts Park Arena, Saturday September 16th

Report by Mike Hyde

In a final flourish after an indifferent season, Coventry Bears completely overpowered South Wales Ironmen as they recorded their biggest victory since joining semi-professional Rugby League three years ago.

For both sides, this Butts Park encounter was always going to be more about pride and the future than any league standing.The Bears were determined to end the season on a high note as their team continues to be rebuilt in readiness for next year and beyond.

And with the move to West Wales having already taken place,this was the last occasion the pale grey Ironmen shirts would be seen in combat.

Coventry were quick to show they meant business as prop Brad Brennan bulldozed his way between the posts with less than two minutes gone, and former Ironman PaulEmanuelliconverted with ease.

Just two minutes later Brennan powered over again, this time to the right of the sticks and again the conversion followed.

Still with only 8 minutes on the clock, the Coventry onslaught continued as JamahlHunte caught the ball after a well-placed kick to score his first try of the game.

Although the conversion was not forthcoming, the Bears had already ruthlessly built a 16-0 lead and lookedunstoppable.

That was until Bears fullback Mikey Russell easily caught the ball after an Ironmen kick and was running upfield, when Connor Farrer cheekily snatched the ball from him in the tackle and went on to cross the line for a South Wales try, and Ben Jones further pulled back the score to 16-6.

The Bears took a while to regain their composure after this setback, but then Hayden Freeman swept through the opponents and scored a solo try from the halfway line to restore the margin.

Then, following one of the most flowing moves of the gameinvolving several Bears players, Brad Delaney evaded the South Wales defence and put his name on the scoresheet, with Emanuelli further punishing his old team mates with the conversion.

Bears next try was another long distance solo affair this time from Matt Reid as he sprinted half the length of the field, with Emanuelli once more adding two points.

Hunte then scored again on the right wing and was instrumental also in getting Emaunuelli over for a try to give the home side a commanding 36 point half time lead.

Two minutes into the second half crowd pleaser Jamahl Hunte was over for his hat-trick, but the South Wales team did not give in, however hopeless their task, and were rewarded with a Jack Uren try on 57 minutes.

The game then entered a rather stale patch before Christiaan Roets further narrowed the score for the away side with Ben Jones converting to make it 48-16.

This try awoke the slumbering Bears, and Mikey Russell atoned for his earlier embarrassment with a well taken try after being set free on the left. The conversion was missed, but the Bears were in the ascendancy again.

Then in the dying minutes Chris Barratt scored the Bears final try of the afternoon, with Emanuelli adding two more points to his tally.

The hooter sounded on what had been the Ironmen’s last ever game and a famous Coventry victory in front of a good crowd, including some ‘first timers’, Coventry United fans who had seen their side in action earlier that day at the BPA..

The Bears now go into hibernation until February, but on this showing they could well be a force to be reckoned with next season.

BEARS

1 Mikey Russell

2 Hayden Freeman

3 Jason Bass

4 Matt Reid

5 Jamahl Hunte

6 Paul Emanuelli

7 Brad Delaney

8 Alex Beddows

9 Billy Gaylor

17 Brad Brennan

11 Kieran Sherratt

12 Chris Barratt

13 Zac Williams

Subs (All used)

14 James Kelly

10 Jack Morrison

15 Jacob Jones

24 Patrick Jones

Bears MOM Mikey Russell who was a constant threat in attack

Tries: Brennan (2,5),Hunte (8,36,42), Freeman (18), Delaney (24), Reid (27), Emanuelli (39), Russell (73,) Barrett (76).

Goals: Emanuelli7/11

IRONMEN

27 Jack Uren

2 Yannic Parker

28 Morgan Jefferies

7 Shaun Tennant

5 Liam Curnow

6 Andrew Gaye

2 Ben Jones

18 Morgan Evans

9 Connor Farrer

13 Barrie Phillips

4 Christiaan Roets

10 Kade Breen

24 Connor Parker

Subs (all used)

15 Archie Snook

19 Jamie L’Anson

23 Samuel Hodge

26 Henry Davies

Tries: Farrer(13), Uren (57),Roets (70)

Goals: Jones 2/3

Penalty Count: 11-8

Half Time: 42-6

Referee: C Worseley

Attendance:332

Scoring Sequence:

6-0, 12-0,16-0,16-6,20-6,26-6,32-6,36-6,42-6,48-6,4810, 48-16,52-16,58-16

Bears Media19 September 2017