Coventry Bears

Carvell Coventry Bears Academy 36 -23 Burntwood Barbarians

A brief respite in the July rains saw a cracker of a match – truly a game of two halves – played in bright dry conditions. Burntwood arrived as 2007 league winners having already beaten the Bears’ Academy home and away and like those games, this was a full-blooded encounter with both teams tested to the limit. However, it was the Bears’ that took the spoils as the experience of regular 1st grade players Alan Robinson and Stuart Lee added new dimensions to the team.

Only five minutes were needed to put the first points on the scoreboard with Mark Edwards releasing winger Phil Molloy down the right flank only to be hauled down short of the line. Stand-off Edwards was again instrumental in the next move as the ball was rapidly spun the width of the pitch via Nathan Harrison and Mike Whetstone who took on the defence and threw a sweet miss-pass for Stuart Lee to score in the corner. Conversion missed (4-0).

Robinson was next with a simple touchdown after a clever chip over from scrum-half Samwise Gamgee, playing his first game for the Bears’ for over a year. Edwards added the first of his 4 conversions to make it 10-0.

The Bears were not having things all their own way and the Shelley brother’s, Graham and Lloyd, were determined to keep the visitors in the game and at the heart their every move; however a huge defensive effort from second-rowers Matt Shaw and Dean Rafferty repelled the attack. The Bears were then soon downfield and it was Tony Wildsmith who would claim the try after a mazy run from 30 metres that seemed to take him past half the Burntwood team. Conversion – Edwards (16-4).

Graham Shelly scored the visitors only points of the first-half with an unconverted try from short range (16-4) to keep them in the game.

At this point though the Bears were well on top. This advantage was built the hard way and typified by a number of thunderous bone rattling tackles by the two Bears props Robinson and the J&S Landscapers man of the match Rich Chappell. Next up to score was hooker Nathan Harrison and then Lee bagged his second after Chappell had been caught just shy of the line (30-6).

One of the biggest cheers of the day was saved for the season debut of Bears’ old-boy Tony Allcock on his return from sunny Scarborough. The other debutant August Chadwick also caused Burntwood no end of problems as he consistently beat the first, and often second, defender the hard way – he ran over them. And it was Chadwick who set up the last try of the half feeding Lee who in turn put away the exciting Sri Lankan winger Thusitha Vithanage to touchdown just before the break.

Half-time: Carvell Coventry Bears Academy 32 – 6 Burntwood Barbarians

The second stanza started badly for the Bears with Burntwood quickly out of the blocks. Shelley broke through some poor attempted tackles to go 40 metres and beat the fullback for a converted try (32-12), followed quickly by a drop goal (32-13). Another converted try saw the visitors back in contention (32-19).

A serious of injuries to Lee (shoulder), Robinson (back), Allcock (shoulder) and Whetstone (cheekbone) upset the Bears upset the Bears structure as Burntwood continued their fight back. It was left to Chappell to score the Bears only try of the second half (36-19).

The Burntwood onslaught continued as they showed the form that had seen them lose only one match this season and a further Shelley try gave the final score of 36-23. Burntwood will take great consolation from outscoring the Bears 19-4 in the second-half. However when the Bears team were focused and played to their strengths they again showed an ability to move the ball around and beat defences that few teams in the division can live with. This shows in the final league table as the highest point scorers despite finishing third.

The match finished with player-coach Peter Parker celebrating his 22nd birthday by being sin-binned with three minutes left on the clock.

The Bears Academy team travel to Bristol next Saturday (4th August) for the first round of the play-offs; kick-off 14:30. The winners travel to league winners Burntwood on 11th August for the West Midlands final.

Final Score: Carvell Coventry Bears Academy 36 – 23 Burntwood Barbarians

J&S Landscapers Man of the Match: Rich Chappell

Coventry: Mike Whetstone, Thusitha Vithanage, Stuart Lee, Tony Wildsmith, Phillip Molloy, Samwise Gamgee, Mark Edwards, Rich Chappell, Nathan Harrison, Alan Robinson©, Dean Rafferty, Matt Shaw, Luke Horan. Subs: Jason Wetton, Tony Allcock, Neil Hanna, August Chadwick, Carl Southwell, Scott Carver, Peter Parker

Coventry scorers: Tries – Lee (2), Robinson, Wildsmith, Harrison, Vithanage, Chappell; Conversions – Mark Edwards (4 from 7)

Burntwood: Martin Ottey, Ian Cooper, Matthew Bray, Oliver Whitehouse, Daniel Hackett, Craig Seedhouse, Steven Blockley, Anthony Davies, Lloyd Shelley, Marc Bailey, Mathew Watkins, Richard England, Graham Shelley©. Subs: Tom Restall, Mark Partridge, Tony Shaw

Referee: Robert Dollin (Selby)