Coventry Bears

Carvell Coventry Bears 58-10 Bedford Tigers
Saturday 9th August 2008

The Carvell Coventry Bears cemented their place in the Midlands Final of the Co-operative Rugby League Conference Midlands Division with a somewhat Pyrrhic victory over season newcomers Bedford Tigers at Old Coventrians RFC on Saturday.

An already injury ravaged Bears side saw Winger Phil Molloy leave the field after 3 minutes to be followed by Prop Rhydian Booth who has a suspected broken leg.

The Bears had eased into a 6-0 lead with a try by Malloy before his injury and a minute later it looked as though the Bears were going to run riot when centre Josh Boothby went in the corner. Bedford pulled a try back and for the next ten minutes the game was much more competitive.

Bears full back Mark Hyslop finished off a good move to extend the Bears advantage.

Sub Kasiano Raturaga was adjudged to have been held up over the Bedford line and after a lengthy break for an injury to a Bedford player, Raturaga did manage to storm over and complete a touch down.

With tries by Loose Forward Matt Cooper and Stand Off half Graham Healey before the break the game was over as a spectacle at Carvell Coventry Bears 36 Bedford Tigers 6.

Speedster Tanaka Chaunokara left the Bedford defence standing to score under the posts to open the second half’s scoring sequence.

Hooker Alex Brown scored two tries in succession the first almost under the posts.

Ironically in probably the easiest conversion of the afternoon Healey put the ball wide for his first miss of the game. Bedford again troubled the scorer in between Browns brace. Although the game was lost to them the Tigers could still be dangerous and no one could doubt their commitment.

Bears long serving John Nicholls playing from the bench completed the scoring for the afternoon with a 40 yard break down the middle

Final Score: Carvell Coventry Bears 58 Bedford Tigers 10

Coventry Scorers
Tries: Molloy, Boothby, Hyslop, Raturaga, Cooper, Healey, Chaunokara, Brown (2) Nichols
Conversions: Healey (9)

Coventry Bears Team: Mark Hyslop, Phil Molloy, Chris Brown, Josh Boothby, Tanaka Chaunokara, Graham Healey, Scott, Clendenning- Fenton, Aaron Jarvis, Alex Brown, Rhydian Booth, Tim Stevens, Matt Allsopp, Matt Cooper, Mitch Todd, John Nicholls, Tom Watts, Kasiano Raturaga.

J & S landscapes Man of the Match: Bears – Matt Cooper

In the last Co-operative Rugby League Conference Midlands and South West Division of the season. Carvell Coventry Bears Academy lost out to Telford Raiders 14 points to 16 (Click here for full match report)