Challenge Cup Round 4 Preview

The Challenge Cup was on show in Coventry last round  

Pilkington Recs Match Preview

Take Two……and all to play for.

Sunday 25th March 3pm at Butts Park Arena

It’s a return to Cup action in Coventry for a Challenge Cup rearranged fourth round tie against NCL club Pilkington Recs, in place of the scheduled League 1 b fixture

The prize for Sundays victors is a money spinning tie against Super League Widnes, so everything’s to play for and it won’t be easy.

But first, where is Pilkington, it sounds familiar?

Its not a place, but the name of a famous glass company, situated in a famous glass manufacturing town, St Helens, home of the top Super League team which does carry the town’s name.

So we are up against a team from the games ‘Lancashire’[now Merseyside] heartland, steeped in the game. And the windscreen in your car may carry the Pilkington logo!

The Recs [short for recreational] have a long and proud history, and are unique in being founded as a works rugby union side, who converted to soccer, before being reformed in 1947 as a Rugby League team.Over the years they have produced some good players who have moved on into the semi=pro game, so there could be up and coming talent on both sides this Sunday.

There is history between the two sides who played as recently as 2013, when the then NCL members Bears lost at home to the Recs.

The Bears go into the game fresh from their first league win of the season but with injuries to captain Chris Barratt and hooker Lewis Lord, but the strength in depth still gives coach Tom Tsang options.

Tom will be taking nothing for granted in another cuptie where the opposition are well fancied underdogs with a record of victories over higher placed opposition such as Bears rivals London Skolars.

Head Coach Tom Tsang’s view of the match

‘We obviously have a very important job to do this Sunday against Pilkington Recs, but seeing the draw last night and the potential reward has redoubled our motivation to get the win. Without getting ahead of ourselves - we know Pilks pose a serious threat - we could barely have asked for a better draw. I mean, obviously we would have preferred to have drawn Catalans away, but the prospect of a trip to Cheshire is equally enticing.

We are over the frustration of the snow cancelled game and are looking at it as just another week to prepare for this historic match.

Team for 25/3/18 v Pilkington Recs

1. Jason Bass

2. Hayden Freeman

3. Dante Morley Samuels

4. Kam Pearce Paul

5. Errol Carter

6. Paul Emmanuelli

7. Ben Stead

8. James Geurtjens

9. Zak Williams

10. John Aldred

11. Kieran Sherratt

12. James Mason

13. Chris Vitalini

14. Liam Rice Wilson

15. Dan Gover

16. Ben Gray

17. Joel Thomas

18. Harry Kaufman

19. Harry Chapman