Coventry Bears 12-32 Featherstone Lions
This was a game of two halves on a windswept day as a very close heavily defensive first half was followed by a second half where there was only one clear winner.
The first twenty minutes was all Bears but they just couldn’t get over the line being held out by some resolute lions defence. After some probing runs by Matt Cooper and Patrick Evans both Tom Tsang and Scott Clendenning Fenton made breaks but the final pass went to ground on both occasions. The Coventry side looking frustrated not to score.
The balance then swayed to Featherstone Lions who had two tries disallowed within about a minute of each other around the twenty five minute mark, the second was held up. Around the half hour mark the Bears were back in attack and despite a dropped ball they retained possession and the first try of the game was at 32 minutes as ever present Scott Clendenning-Fenton set up a try by Chad Grant the rangy Australian going in from close range. The conversion was missed.
The end of the half finished well for the lions as they retained the ball from another Bears mistake allowing then to shift the ball across the field to go in wide in the corner. This was not converted seeing both sides go into halftime level at 4-4.
The second half started in a similar vain with both sides wrestling for superiority. The first break was by the Bears when the ball was shifted wide by Tsang only for Rob Nichols to be adjudged to have put a foot in touch. A couple of minutes later through some added pressure the Bears gained a penalty in front of the posts which was neatly kicked by Stephen Coleman. The game then seemed to take its toll on the Bears as they knocked on in their own half leading to a try by Featherstone Lions. This saw the start of a prolonged period of attack by the Lions for the last twenty minutes as they got a roll on with their winger scoring in the corner after many passes across the line. This was unconverted. A long break by the lions halfback then saw another try shortly afterwards which was converted.
The final ten minutes saw mistakes made by both sides but it was the Bears who came off the worse when new signing Great Britain and Welsh student Pat Evans was sin binned for holding down as tensions escalated. The lions quickly exploited the gap created with a short break and a try which was converted. Lions then added a further score from a Bears drop out to firmly seal the win.
In the last minute Steve Coleman got a consolation try after a break up the sideline, he successfully kicked a difficult conversion.
The Bears are now under some real pressure to challenge for a top six spot in the table falling to 7th place. Next week the Bears travel away to bottom of the table Bramley Buffaloes and must come back with a win if they are to revive their season.
Alan Robinson Bears Head Coach commented: ‘Today was another disappointing performance we started very well and looked very strong but our own mistakes put us under pressure and the Lions capitalised on that, we were beaten by a well drilled youthful side that defended well and in the end I felt that the pressure got to us. I have spoken to the players and we will be tough on ourselves this week in preparation for Bramley we know that the next few weeks are make or break now. I think we deserve a playoff spot after our good form at the start of the season but nothing is ever guaranteed in this game and if you take your eye off the ball these teams will finish you off. On a positive note some new players went very well today and we can build on that'
Final score Coventry Bears 12-32 Featherstone Lions.
Gamebreaking moment:
Featherstone Lions scoring 3 tries in ten minutes in the middle of the second half saw them pull ahead.
Men of the match:
Coventry Bears: Matt Cooper
Featherstone Lions: Dean Gamble