Bears win two on the trot

Bears dig deep to bury the Stags

COVENTRY BEARS 20HEMEL STAGS 18

Mike Hyde, Butts Park Arena, Sunday

Coventry Bears made it two wins in a row as they edged expansion rivals Hemel Stags 20-18 in an encounter where the lead changed hands four times. Having taken an early lead, that lead was lost twice before the Bears summoned up everyreserve of mental and physical strength to get a winning try with minutes to go.

The Bears kicked off in glorious sunshine on a dry, dusty and rock-hard pitch, and Hemel showed they meant business from the very start and they were soon pressing the Bears, with their kickon the fifth testing Jason Bass, who caught it cleanly.

And as Bears then went on the offensive, it was Bass who opened the scoring on just four minutes. Ben Stead bagged the two extras and it was 6-0 to Coventry. A good start for the home side and their fans.

The Bears could and should have added to this, but their next attack completely broke down, and this was not to be the lasttime things went awry in the 30 degree heat.

Then it was Hemel who were in the ascendency, and only some desperate defending bundling the winger into touch saved a certain try.

But the try did come, courtesy of Blake Broadbent who evaded four Bears defenders for a try that was subsequently converted by Kieran Smith.

The Stags pressure continued, with Marcus Stock leading the attack, before the game entered a scrappy and soggy spell in the middle of the first half, with neither side managing to complete their sets.

It was Jason Bass who broke the deadlock with a searing diagonal run to the corner to regain the Bears lead, but no extras were forthcoming, so it was 10-6.

Both sides had now stepped up a gear and the scores became equal as Alex Williams darted over on the right wing for the visitors. 

The referee called half time with the scores even at ten apiece.Fans were then somewhat mystified as the hooter sounded as the players were actually leaving the field.

Hemel started strongly after their half time team talk and were soon attacking hard. But poor handling of that hot ball in the baking heat let them, and likewise let the Bears down at critical moments.

The Stags pinned a Bears player down behind his own line, and then the reverse happened at the other end of the pitch, such was evenness of the game, but for a long spell, neither side looked capable of scoring.

Next was a strong attack by the Bears but once again poor handling prevented their retaking the lead.

It was a penalty given to the Stags following a player being held down after the tackle which gave Kieran Smith the chance to seize two points from a penalty to put his side in the lead for the first time 10-12.

Was the game about to drift away from the Bears?

The Stags were certainly now dominant as they pushed the Bears further and further back, but the Bears regained the lead on a counter attack as Kieran Sherratt zig-zagged over, with Stead adding the extras, 16-12.

Hemel were far from finished as they responded strongly and Kieran Smith was rewarded with a try and a conversion to give Hemel a 12-18 lead with just ten minutes left.

Coventry had the last laugh as Harry Chapman scored three minutes before the end, and the Stags had neither the time nor the energy to reply this time.

It had been a close game.

It hadn’t been a pretty game.

But for the Bears and their fans, this was now two consecutive victories, as they pulled themselves further away from the Stags in the league table, looking up towards the Skolars and aiming to overtake them in the next few weeks and end the season positively.

MATCHFACTS

BEARS

1Jason Bass

2Hayden Freeman

3Jacob Ogden

21 Kam Pearce-Paul

5 Harry Chapman

6Bradley Sheridan

7 Ben Stead

8Chris Vitalini

9 Zac Williams

16Malakhi Lloyd-Jones

11 Kieran Sherratt

12 Chris Barratt

13Ashley Bateman

Subs (all used)

14 Sam Davis

17James Guertjens

15James Mason

10Dan Gover

Tries: Bass (4,23), Sherratt (68), Chapman (77)

Goals: Stead 2/4

STAGS

1 Jack Mitchell

2 Darren Forde

4 Alexander Williams

3 Matthew Welham

5 Richard Williams

6 Shaun Roberts

7 Kieran Smith

8 Reece Williams

9 Jonathon Burns

10 Blake Broadbent

11 Marcus Stock

18 Dean Roberts

13 Sonny Esslemont

Subs (all used)

14 Paul Stamp

22 Corey Hanson

16 Austin Bell

187 Lewis Taylor

Tries:Reece Wiliams (12), Alex Williams(35), Smith (68)

Goals Smith 3/4

Penalty count: 10-10

Half-time: 6-16

Referee: P Marklove

Attendance: 281

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6,10-6, 10-10; 10-12, 16-12, 16-18, 20-18

Bears win in London

Bears work hard for a welcome victory

London Skolars 20 Coventry Bears 24

On Saturday afternoon, a set of long suffering fans at last had something good to celebrate, as
Coventry Bears clinched victory in London.
Not since the opening game of the season had the Bears won a League 1 encounter, and the run of fourteen consecutive defeats was enough to grind down anyone associated with the club.But on Saturday, the Bears fought back bravely in the sweltering city sun to clinch this game 20-24.
The kick off had been moved to1pm on account of the World Cup Quarter Final, and the home side got off to a flying start, crossing over the line in the first minute. Neil Thorman added two more and the Bears were already 6-0 down.
A couple more points from a penalty followed for the hosts, and then Lamont Bryan powered his way over with two Bears defenders still clinging on to him for the Skolars’ second try of the
afternoon. The deficit widened to 14-0 as the conversion sailed over between the posts.
Some inspiration was now needed to prevent the match completely slipping away, and this came from Chris Vitalini’s try and Ben Stead’s ensuing conversion.
Sensing this could be a tight game, the Bears elected to kick for goal rather than attempt another attack, and this decision proved a good one bringing the Bears right back into the game with the score at 14-8, which remained the margin until half time.
The Bears showed they meant business straight after the restart, as they gained first one free kick and then another free kick gave Kam Pearce Paul the opportunity to pounce on the ball and get a try for the away side. Stead was rock-steady as he levelled the scores with the conversion. And now Coventry Bears, so often fading in the second half, were in the ascendency as the Skolars started to look weary in the heat.
The comeback was complete as Hayden Freeman crossed over. The Bears were now in the lead for the first time, 14-18.
However, the home side still had something left in the tank as they seized on some sloppy play by the Bears who conceded two penalties on the trot, with further punishment coming from Mike Bishay’s try and the subsequent conversion. The Skolars had retaken the lead with the score now at 20-18.
Further twists and turns were to follow though as Skolars Mike Greenhalgh was sent off for a
dangerous tackle, giving the Bears a numerical advantage as the game neared its end.
Jason Bass was able to spot the extra space opening up and the ball was then onto Hayden Freeman who bagged his second with Steads conversion sealing the result at 20-24.

So, a win, and an away win too! Now brimful of confidence it’s three home games on the trot for the Bears. Time now to put on a show for the loyal fans at the Butts Park Arena.

This Sunday we take on Hemel Stags at the earlier kick off time of 2pm!

BEARS1.jpg

Skolars Preview

 Bears back to ‘skool’ on Saturday lunchtime.

London Skolars match preview

In a fixture sensibly brought forward a couple of hours so as not to clash with England v Sweden in the FIFA World Cup, Coventry Bears will be travelling down to the New River Stadium, Wood Green, Haringay North London for a 1pm lunch time fixture with London Skolars.

Travelling fans can see a good game of RL, but don’t need to miss the World Cup as they can see it on the big screen at the Skolars’ clubhouse.

We are now into the second half of the season, and yes we had a great time in the cup, and yes we smashed our attendance record twice, and yes we’ve gained many friends and admirers. 

But the harsh truth is that the Bears have only won once in the League this season, and below us are Hemel who have also won once, and West Wales Raiders who haven’t won at all. 

Above the Bears lie Saturday’s opponents London Skolars, who have won four games and drawn onegiving them nine points to Bears’ two. And then above the Skolars are North Wales Crusaders on eleven points.

At this moment in time, the Bears would be talked of in the same breath as Hemel and Raiders, but with home games coming up against these two teams and an away fixture also at Raiders, a realistic ambition for the second half of the season would be to catch up with the Skolars and Cru.

It is only a few weeks since the corresponding home fixture against the London outfit, and the game was agonisingly close, the Bears missing out 20-28, as they faded towards the end, so revenge would be sweet indeed.

19 man Squad vs London Skolars, Away

  1. Jason Bass

  2. Hayden Freeman

  3. Jacob Ogden

  4. Kam Pearce Paul

  5. Harry Chapman

  6. Liam Rice Wilson

  7. Ben Stead

  8. Chris Vitalini

  9. Zak Williams

  10. Mal Lloyd Jones

  11. Kieran Sherratt

  12. Chris Barratt ©

  13. Ash Bateman

  14. Brad Sheridan

  15. James Geurtjens

  16. Peter Ryan

  17. James Mason

  18. Errol Carter

  19. John Aldred