Coventry Bears

For the second time this season the Carvell Coventry Bears proved far too strong for struggling Leicester Phoenix.

Coach Ty Watson gave first team debuts to Luke Horan, Josh Boothby and Andrew Dalton, with the Academy’s captain Peter Parker and Andy Rowlands also having a run out. Even so the Bears still posted 86 points against the hapless home side.

Warning of the outcome of the game came right from the kick off when the Leicester defence allowed the ball to bounce into touch. From the resulting scrum Loose Forward Matt Cooper punished the Phoenix with a darting run to score under the posts. Cooper was to repeat his evasive act 5 more times during the course of the match. He could have taken his personal tally to 7 for the afternoon but for an unselfish pass to Hooker Matt Allsopp which gave the Coventry number 9 one of the easiest tries he will ever score.

Two quick tries from live wire winger Tanaka Chaunokara came before the 10 minute point and Cooper had completed a hat trick by the time the game was 15 minutes old.

With the game all but over as a spectacle Leicester did manage a score with Leicester best player Karl Harris going in to score in the corner.

Full back Dean Thompson and Coventry’s top try scorer Ben Powis who was playing in the centres added further tries. Leicester despite being outclassed did manage another try before the Matty Allsopp walk in.

At the break the Bears had a healthy 46 points to 10 advantage.

Coventry’s long serving John Nicholls scored a try to open the scoring for the second half with a burst from well inside his own half. Ryan Jenkins making a welcome return to first team action scored with a powerful break through the defence.

The Bears were without the services of league top scorer Graham Healey but his half back partner Scott Clendenning-Fenton wearing the No 6 shirt scored the next try and taking over the kicking duties of Healey managed 13 conversions.

With the game almost over Leicester again troubled the scorer.

Tom Watts looked to have scored the last try of the afternoon, but fittingly it was Matt Cooper along with Nicholls and Allsopp who had found themselves clear of any defenders but despite the good natured banter Cooper refused to pass and scored directly under the posts.

Final Score: Leicester Phoenix 18 Carvell Coventry Bears 86

Coventry Team: Dean Thompson, Tanaka Chaunokara, Ben Powiss, Phil Molloy, Peter Parker, Scott Clendenning-Fenton, Joe Smith, Ty Watson, Matt Allsopp, Lee Ashford, Tom Watts, Matt Cooper, Luke Horan, Josh Boothby, Andy Rowlands, Andrew Dalton, Tim Farndon, Ryan Jenkins, Rhiddian Booth

Coventry Scorers
Tries: Matt Cooper (6) Tanaka Chaunokara (2) Dean Thompson, Ben Powiss, Matt Allsopp, John Nicholls, Ryan Jenkins, Scott Clendenning –Fenton, Tom Watts.

Conversions: Scott Clendenning-Fenton (13)