Brave Bears Bow Out of Challenge Cup

[deluded pom?]

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/other-sport/rugby-league/keighley-cougars-54-coventry-bears-10966863

Coventry Bears bowed out of the Challenge Cup in the third round but not before giving League One rivals Keighley Cougars an early scare.

Bears head coach Tom Tsang was looking for a big response following a disappointing Ipro Sport Cup defeat to Gloucestershire All Golds last weekend.

And his side came out firing at Cougar Park as they shocked the home side with three unanswered tries.

The scoring was opened through prop Tommy Holland as he finished off Jono Milizewski's break on his debut with Joel James kicking the extras.

Two more tries followed in quick succession through Charlie O'Mara as he first pounced on a James Redman's kick to touchdown in the corner before shooting out from dummy half to go in beneath the uprights.

James added the conversions to make it 18-0 to the Bears with 23 minutes on the clock.

However that marked the start of the Cougars fightback with Hawkyard adding their first four points of the afternoon.

The score was then cut further with two quick-fire tries from Hamish Barns which saw the Bears holding only a two-point lead at the interval.

Barnes completed his hat-trick seven minutes after the break and from there the floodgates opened as the Yorkshire side added six unanswered tries to take the game away from the Bears.

Two late Bears efforts from Jay Lobwein and Jono Milizewski made the scoreline respectable on an afternoon where Coventry stood up well against a side expected to be among the front-runners in the Kingstone Press League One this season.

Following their cup exploits, the Bears now travel to the south of France to face Toulouse Olympique in their League One season opener on Saturday.

Cougars: Hawkyard, Gabriel, Martin, Barnes, White, Brook, Handforth, Law, Feather, Rawlins, Oakes, Hawkyard, Lindsay

Subs (All used): Cherryholme, Bailey, Ollett, Peltier

Coventry: Joel James, Warrilow, Barlow, Reid, Freeman, O???Mara, Lobwein, Holland, Redman, Liku, Holton, Barratt, Milizewski

Subs (All used): Norman, Beddows, O'Sullivan, Morrison

http://www.keighleynews.co.uk/sport/14309779.UPDATED__Challenge_Cup_victory_felt_like_defeat_____Keighley_Cougars_coach_Paul_March/

Head coach Paul March criticised his side's 'very poor' attitude after Cougars made hard work of overcoming Coventry Bears, even admitting their victory had felt like defeat.

Keighley secured their passage into tomorrow night's Challenge Cup fourth round draw but were given an early scare by Bears, who had led 18-0.

March said: “We found out how difficult the League One campaign will be this season and to be truthful, it feels like a defeat this afternoon

“I thought our attitude starting the game was very poor and we didn’t give Coventry the respect they deserved. It’s showed throughout this cup weekend that if you don’t turn up with the right attitude, you’ll get beat (five League One clubs were beaten by amateur opposition in the third round).

“We talked about this at half-time and credit to the boys, they came out in the second half for 30 minutes and showed that we are contenders but it’s an attitude thing and letting 28 points in at home, that’s hurtful to me and we’ve got to have a bit more pride in defending our line.

“I have to give credit to them (Coventry) because they brought the game to us and started well to take an 18-point lead and deserved it.”

Coventry scored three unanswered tries in the game’s opening quarter before heading into hibernation.

After winning a penalty from the first set, Jono Milizewski broke through the defensive line and offloaded to Tommy Holland who scored underneath the posts on debut.

The visitors were resolute in defence and doubled their advantage when Charlie O’Mara pounced on James Redman’s grubber after more great work from Milizewski.

And the stunned Cougars found themselves another six points behind when O’Mara shot out of dummy half to go in beneath the uprights.

Clever play finally got March’s side onto the board as Ritchie Hawkyard produced a lovely dummy pass and weaved his way around the back of the Cougars line before racing through to score.

More clever play by the younger of the Hawkyard brothers set up Hamish Barnes, who avoided two would-be tacklers to squeeze over.

Barnes scored again on the hooter to make sure there was only two points in it at the interval when he took hold of the ball from Ross Peliter’s barging run to scuttle over.

Whatever was said by March at the half-time interval seemed to work as Keighley piled on the pressure in the second period.

Barnes claimed his hat-trick as he was quickest to a grubber kick from Hawkyard, who was in inspired form for the hosts.

A first Cougars try for John Oakes followed as he broke the line from 30 metres out and rounded the full back.

The onslaught continued as Aaron Ollett had his first competitive try in red and green, turning through a tackle to get the ball down next to the posts.

The result was put beyond doubt with just over a quarter of the game remaining when, after a knock-on from Hayden Freeman, Andy Gabriel raced the length of the field from the free play to touch down.

Paul White grabbed his first try of the year, fighting his way over from dummy half after Brendon Rawlins was held short.

Adam Brook’s clever pass sent Charlie Martin over before Martin had his second in as many minutes as he benefited from Barnes’ break down the left wing after poor marking from the Coventry defence.

The Bears managed two late consolation tries as Jay Lobwein and then Milizewski exposed the Cougars defence to cross and make the scoreline more respectable.

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COUGARS: R Hawkyard 6; Gabriel 6; Martin 6; Barnes 6; White 6; Brook 6; Handforth 6; Law 6; Feather 6; Rawlins 6; Oakes 7; D Hawkyard 6; Lindsay 7. Subs: Cherryholme 6; Bailey 7; Ollett 7; Peltier 8.

COVENTRY: James 6; Warrilow 6; Barlow 6; Reid 6; Freeman 6; O’Mara 7; Lobwein 6; Holland 7; Redman 6; Liku 6; Holton 6; Barratt 6; Milizewski 7. Subs: Norman 6; Beddows 6; O’Sullivan 6; Saynor 6.