Latest News Co-Operative Conference Premier Week 13 - Reports
| Co-Operative Conference Premier Week 13 - Reports |
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| Monday, 13 July 2009 06:55 |
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Results RLC Midlands Premier 11 July Telford Raiders 0-24 Coventry Bears Derby City 20-16 Birmingham Bulldogs Bristol Sonics 22-16 Leicester Phoenix RLC North West Premier Rhyl Coasters 0-24 Lymm RL New Broughton Ra 25-24 Wigan Riversiders Runcorn 46-14 Blackpool Sea Eagles RLC Southern Premier South London Storm 40-10 St Albans Centurions London Skolars 42-12 Ipswich Rhinos Portsmouth Navy SH 0-24 Hainault Bulldogs Bedford Tigers 0-24 Elmbridge Eagles RLC Yorkshire Premier York Lokomotive 28-32 Moorends Thorne Ma East Riding 20-60 Cottingham Phoenix Leeds Akkies 16-56 Kippax Knights RLC Wales Torfaen Tigers 52-44 Dinefwr Sharks Wales In a rescheduled game from last weekend, TORFAEN TIGERS came out on top in a try fest beating the DINEFWR SHARK 52-44 at Panteg RFC. It was the visitors that got off the mark on their first possession as Alan Pope crossed for the first of his three tries, the goal added by Andrew Sponart. The Tigers, who started slowly, then took a grip on the first half with three quick tries. First up was Damien Smith diving over in the corner, swiftly followed by Dale Nash and Sam Kettle. Two conversions from Nathan Davies swung the lead the home team at 16-6. As the game settled, the teams tested each other and mid way through the half the Tigers extended their lead as veteran Nolan Nicklin touched down. The Sharks picked up their game and levelled the scores with tries from Simon Stonham, a second from Pope and Steffan Davies with a single goal from Sponart. Torfaen had the final say of the half when Smith picked up his second of the day and the conversion from Ashley Goode made the score 26-20 at the break. The tries continued to come thick and fast in the second half as Nash added to his first half score with another two touchdowns to increase the Tigers lead, conversions from Goode making the margin eighteen points. The Sharks closed the gap again with a second score from Stonham and Pope completed his hat trick and with Sponart still kicking well the gap was back to six at 38-32. Tigers responded and with three tries of their own from Jamie Jeune, Liam Jefferson and Liam Davies and with a fourth conversion from Goode had a commanding 52-32 lead. The Sharks never say die attitude shone through, though, as they kept on the attack with a brace of tries from Chris Davies the result and a single goal from Tom Sloane wrapped up a contest that had seen the try line breached 18 times in all. Southern Premier Saints were without four players away on England Lionhearts duty while Storm were missing the services of Tom Bold, Josh Welch, Jamie Lester, Donny Varcoe, Adam Hill and Aran Quinn. Returning stalwart Micky Walker was behind most of the home team's good play as he effortlessly pulled the strings from the half back position. Walker laid his authority on the game as early as the third minute when his pass released Owian Rhodda and he found Carl Zachorow who crossed wide on the left for the opening try. Walker missed the conversion but turned creator again on eleven minutes when his long pass released full back Andy Pryor whose blistering pace was too much for the visitors. The host's third try came four minutes later as Luke Bonnor released Walker for a close range try between the posts, his conversion stretching the lead to 14-0. The next twenty minutes was a pretty even affair although Storm were hit by the loss through injury of both Kurt Pitman and Bonnor, although replacements Braden Dwyer and Andy Gilvary - who switched to rake - performed admirably. Five minutes from half time St Albans sensed a comeback when, after some sustained pressure, full back Chris True hit the line at pace and crashed over in the left corner to reduce the deficit to 14-4. Those hopes were extinguished when Walker scored his second right on half time and the successful conversion left Storm 20-4 up after forty minutes. The second half saw the Centurions determined to get back into the game as their bigger pack tried to get on top of the lighter Storm forwards. South's managed to hold their ground and hit back with the try of the game on forty nine minutes. Winger Mike Benson gathered a kick on his own twenty metre line and set off down the left touchline on a long range dash to the whitewash at the other end. Four minutes later, Storm made the game safe when a clever chip on the last tackle from Walker found Benson who sprinted to the posts from forty metres. The last twenty minutes was a largely unforgettable affair as both teams struggled in the wet conditions. St Albans grabbed a consolation from Adam Kal which was converted by Andy Johns before stand off Walker intercepted a pass on half way and sprinted in for his hat-trick. The last kick of the game saw Walker convert a smart finish from Pryor to leave him with an 18 point haul. Next week Storm are at home to fierce old rivals West London Sharks and a win could see the home team crowned minor premiers. LONDON SKOLARS picked up only their second win of the campaign, denting IPSWICH RHINOS slim play off hopes with a 42-12 home success. Yorkshire Premier Craig Hookway and Shaun Allen replied for the Marauders in the run up to half time, Ron Rafferty gaoling the latter but Jones responded with a penalty to make it 16-10 at the break. Within four minutes of the re-start, the visitors were ahead, centre Greg Mills and Rafferty crossing who converted both efforts. Full back Reintoul's second and a Jones goal levelled at 22-all after 48 minutes but then Moorends enjoyed a spell of dominance in which they posted the two decisive scores, from Dan Hornsby and winger David Chowings. There was late drama when Andy Gargan crossed for York in the 71st minute to set a torid finish but the visitors held on for the points and a share of top spot. KIPPAX KNIGHTS remain at the head of the standings on points difference after a comprehensive 56-16 away win at disappointing LEEDS AKKIES. COTTINGHAM PHOENIX moved up a place into third with a resounding 60-20 win in the derby at EAST RIDING. Midlands Premier The two sides who sit with them met at Little Stoke Park, BRISTOL SONICS winning a tense thriller, 22-16, over LEICESTER PHOENIX. Leicester, who had only lost once previously this season, came hell-bent on taking the Sonics unbeaten home record, which now stretches to three years but went away empty handed. An interested spectator was recent Leeds Rhinos signing Mike Coady, who started his Rugby League career with the Sonics and spent a short spell at Leicester last season and he was treated to a close, bruising encounter. Bristol dominated the opening exchanges and were first to score after three minutes, winger Elliot Nightingale getting on the end of a fine cross-field handling move to dive in at the corner, skipper Dom Swann converting. Further Bristol pressure was squandered in the face of some desperate do-or-die defence from Leicester. It took some solo magic to double the lead, returning scrum half James Gross rolling back the years to score a glorious individual effort. Leicester hit back almost immediately, a period of pressure in the Sonics' quarter resulting in a try for winger Karl Harris. Defences dominated and Phoenix came closest to scoring again, but their best chance was ruled out for a double movement. On 37 minutes Sonics extended their lead. Following a scrum close to the Leicester line, Swann released Gross who stepped his marker to stroll in between the posts, Swann converting to make it 18-4 at the break. The second half saw Leicester take the initiative and build significant pressure. It finally told on 52 minutes when Max Oxton-Morris crashed through to go over by the posts, Mark White converting to close the gap to eight points. The Sonics had an opportunity to increase their lead when a good passing move saw Swann put prop Chris Carter through but somehow the ball managed to come loose as he crossed the line. That all added to the tension and frustration which saw hookers Jamie Muggleton and Harry Marson sent to the sin-bin after an altercation at the play-the-ball. Bristol regained their composure quicker; Swann, Gross and Joel Keen combining to create an opportunity for Carter to go in at the corner. In the last minute, Karl Harris grabbed a well-taken consolation try in the corner for the Phoenix, superbly converted by Jamie Howe but it was too late to inspire a comeback. Sonics Coach Karl Fearnley commented, "we're proud of our home record and I'm delighted that we maintained it by beating a quality side like Leicester. I thought our composure was slightly better than last week but still nowhere near the level needed to succeed in the play-offs." North West Premier RUNCORN remain in play off contention after a 46-14 home win over gallant BLACKPOOL SEA EAGLES FIXTURES |