Coventry Bears 18 – 16 South Wales Scorpions
Saturday, July 9, Coventry
South Wales Scorpions suffered a devastating capitulation after shipping 18 second-half points to Coventry Bears in the final match of the regular Kingstone Press League 1 season.
Scorpions were 12-0 up at half-time and cruising, but a sin-binning and profligacy in front of the line and goal gave the game to the Bears.
Scorpions were attacking well as they looked for a first try of the match early on, but poor handling prevented them from getting any further than ten metres from the Bears’ line.
However, from the final tackle of set, Paul Emanuelli’s high bomb confused the Bears’ defence and Jamie Murphy leapt to score under the sticks. Paul Emanuelli converted.
Scorpions doubled their lead with a stunning second try. Courtney Davies kicked well and Billy Gaylor created his own gap weaving through the home side’s defence. Emanuelli converted to take the score to 12-0 on 20 minutes.
Excelling in defence as well as attack, it was arguably one of the most solid first halves of the season for the Scorpions.
The visitors almost scored a third from another well-worked move. A tackle on Jamie Murphy looked to have been completed, but on the ground, he kicked for Roets. The Welsh international was beaten to the ball and Scorpions had to be content with winning a goal-line drop-out.
After the break, the major turning point of the game came when Roets was sin-binned for a high tackle, and Scorpions were made to pay as Richard Hughes went over from the next set. Joel James converted.
Bears’ tails were up, and it wasn’t long before they levelled, as Hughes again fought well to force his way over the line. James converted well.
From a penalty, Coventry took the lead for the first time just before the hour mark as Jack Morrison charged through a tiring Welsh defence. James converted again to make it 18-12.
As Roets limped off injured, Scorpions looked for the equalising try.
Anthony Symons was held up over the line as he looked for a way through, and Ian Newbury looked to be on a direct run to the try-line but pressure forced him to step into touch and the chance was lost.
Coventry could have completely sealed the match with eight minutes to go but Danny Price sliced a penalty wide.
Scorpions could have snatched a draw when Kristian Baller went over from dummy half, but Emanuelli’s conversion hit the post and fell the wrong side of the cross-bar as the match ended 18-16.
- Match report by Ian Golden of South Wales Scorpions. Photo courtesy of Ian Lovell.