Bears on cruise control against the Cumbrians.
COVENTRY BEARS 41 WORKINGTON TOWN 30
Report by Mike Hyde
Photography by David Jessop
Broadstreet RFC, Coventry, Saturday 11th May, 3pm Ko
Coventry Bears cruised to a comfortable victory against their long established Northern rivals in a convincing display where the fast, fit and well trained young players put in a strong all-round performance.
Workington had experience and weight on their side- FuiFuiMouMoiis 39 and still built like a South sea Volcano- and others were well into their thirties.
The Bears kicked off at the wide and spacious Broadstreet ground- theirtemporary home while the pitch at Butts Park is being relaid.
Town looked powerful in the middle as they took the ball upfield with FuiFui MoiMoi driving hard in the opening encounters.
A kick on the final play of the set took theaway side close to a try inside three minutes, but offside was given to the relief of the Bears fans who were still settling into their new home.
Although the Bears came more into the game, a good move from the visitors resulted in a try for ScottRooke on the far side of the pitch, converted by Isaac Ferrell.
It was hard in the unfamiliar surroundings not to fear the worst at conceding on only seven minutes, but things soon improved.
Coventry were keen to respond and man of the match Nick Newman gave a foretaste of what was to come with a neat layoff to start a move which he finished, but was held over the line by a desperate Town defence.
Newman was to the fore with a quarter of an hour gone as he set Jacob Jones free to score in the middle. Newman duly took his first conversion to level the scores.
We now had a game on our hands.
Three minutes later, Newman was set free in the middle of the park to race over and then convert. It was clearly going to be his day.
The Bears pressure was relentless, causing great problems for the away side, but they came back and thought they had equalised but no try was given.
Kieran Sherratt pierced through the Town ranks before passing to Kam Pierce Paul who crashed over for the Bears, with another successful conversion following.
The Bears’ lead was extended further as an interception just five yards out from the Bears line, by that man Newman yet again, was followed by a spectacular full length of the field run for a try he duly converted.
The Bears cruised into a comfortable lead just before half time as Reece Rance crossed over on the far right,making the conversion a little too difficult , even for Newman.
With a 22 point deficit to make up, Town had to start the second half well to have any chance in the game, and the onus was on the Bears to not lose their grip on the game.
Workington’s newly appointed Head Coach Chris Thorman’s half time talk seemed to have done the trick as Jonathan Walsh crashed over after a dazzling break from defence. Farrell’s conversion added the extras.
After a powerful MoiMoi carry-out, Ryan Fieldhouse finished a flowing move with a try. Bears fans could only gaze at the scoreboard as the conversion narrowed the gap still further.
But, bang on cue, the visitors’ comeback hopes were dashed when Elliot Hall ran the full length of the pitch to score a try in response, with Newman’s conversion again being on target.
Five minutes later, Jacob Jones scored another long-range try, and Newman’s conversion made it 40-18, a comfortable margin as the match drew to a close.
But Town weren’t going to give in as Jamie Doran added to the away sides score with nine minutes left.
Newman’s drop goal tormented Town and ate into the remaining minutes but there was still enough time left for Workington’s Rooke to add a little more respectability to the final score, but it really was too little, too late, the extra points serving merely to flatter Workington’s performance.
This had been yet another victory against a traditional heartland team. The Bears were nearly three years in the league before beating an established Northern side, but now they are firmly in the pack in the middle of League 1 and need fear no-one, and that was the real outcome of the day.
MATCH FACTS
BEARS
1 Elliott Hall
2 Hayden Freeman
3 KadeemWillams
4 Kam Pearce-Paul
5 Reece Rance
6 Brad Sheridan
7 Nick Newman
8 Peter Ryan
9 Mitch Shaw
10 Lewis Taylor
11 Jacob Jones
12 Kieran Sherratt
13 Chris Barratt
Subs (all used)
14 Nathan Conroy
15 Will Tully
16 Harvey Hallas
17 Harry Kauffman
Tries: Jones (14,68), Newman (17,34),Pearce-Paul (30), Rance (38), Hall (64)
Goals: Newman 6/7
Drop Goal; Newman(75)
TOWN
1 Ryan Fieldhouse
16 Scott Rooke
19 Caine Barnes
21 Tyler Lancaster
20 Jonathan Walsh
6 Jamie Doran
23 Isaac Farrell
8 Oliver Wilkes
9 Sean Penkywicz
10 FuiFui MoiMoi
12 Gordon Maulding
10 Stevie Scholey
11 Danny Tickle
Subs (all used)
15 Tom Curwen
17 Declan ODonnell
14 Andrew Dawson
22 Sam Hopkins
Tries: Rooke (7,90), Walsh (46) Fieldhouse (51),Doran (72)
Goals: Farrell 5/5
Penalty count: 8-10
Half-time: 28-6
Referee: S Race
Attendance: 303
Bears Supporters MOM: Nick Newman
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 12-6, 18-6, 24-6, 28-6;
28-12, 28-18, 34-18, 40-18,40-24, 41-24, 41-30
