CO-OPERATIVE RUGBY LEAGUE CONFERENCE MIDLANDS PREMIER DIVISION
Saturday 27 June 2009
BIRMINGHAM BULLDOGS 70 – 06 GLOUCESTERSHIRE WARRIORS
These are worrying times for the Gloucestershire Warriors as not only did they fall to their fourth consecutive defeat, but it was their heaviest defeat of the season and, most telling of all, they travelled to the Bulldogs with the bare minimum of nine players.
However, those nine players showed pride in the jersey and plenty of commitment on a warm and humid day to hold the Bulldogs to a dozen tries and even find time to grab a touchdown of their own to ensure that the Warriors’ record of never having been nilled was maintained.
There was never any danger of the Bulldogs losing the game and they were 18 points to the good before the Warriors got their hands on the ball but thereafter were made to fight hard for their points.
Ed Stallard and Simon Brown put in some hard work in the tackle while Sonnie Williams organised the team superbly, his experience proving crucial in ensuring the Warriors saved their energy by not chasing lost causes, allowing the Bulldogs to give Danny Bancroft some kicking practice as he converted all but one of the Bulldogs’ tries.
Adam Walker collected a first half hat-trick while Mike Jones, Bancroft, Lea Ross and Jermaine Bernard had the Bulldogs 40 points to the good as the sides changed ends giving the Warriors the use of the slope in the second period.
Two tries from Clinton Tull in the first three minutes of the second half and one from Bernard stretched the lead past the half century but the Warriors were next to score.
After forcing a turnover in good field position, Matt Elston’s high kick was fumbled by Bernard and Stallard picked up the loose ball to send Brown powering over in the corner. Elston’s majestic goal kick from touch was a fitting reward.
Bancroft added his second from a kick return before the Warriors were forced to play the final few minutes with eight men after Ken Stone was forced from the field with an eye injury and Pete Fulthorpe collected the Bulldogs’ final try.
Jake Collier earned man of the match honours for his aggressive running that caused the Bulldogs’ defence plenty of problems but he was run close for the award as debutants Sam Morgan and James Coleman contributed fully with strong and elusive running, while Stone proved hard to tackle going forward and solid in defence.
Crunching defence from Elston and Theo Wakefield forced errors and the Bulldogs actually went scoreless for 15 minutes at the end of the first half as the depleted Warriors gave as good as they got matching the physical challenges.
Though the game was lost, the players played with spirit and commitment and deserved the ovation they received from the Bulldogs at the end.
BIRMINGHAM BULLDOGS: Mark Court, Adam Walker, Clinton Tull, Mike Jones, Ben Pittam, Richard Rainger, Danny Bancroft, Ross Midgley, Lea Ross, Anthony Brown, Russell Parker, Sam Woodward, Pete Fulthorpe. Replacements: Jermaine Bernard, Mark Abel (Capt), Phil Cleghorn, Simon Homer.
Scorers: Tries; Adam Walker (1, 11, 15), Mike Jones (3), Danny Bancroft (6, 50), Lea Ross (20), Jermaine Bernard (22, 45), Clinton Tull (41, 43), Pete Fulthorpe (62). Conversions; Danny Bancroft 11 from 12.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE WARRIORS: Sonnie Williams, Jake Collier, Sam Morgan, Ed Stallard, Matt Elston, Ken Stone (Capt.), Theo Wakefield, James Coleman, Simon Brown.
Scorers: Tries; Simon Brown (48). Conversions; Matt Elston 1 from 1.
Referee: Wayne Parker (Widnes RLRS)
Man of the Match: Bulldogs: Adam Walker, Warriors: Jake Collier.
Penalties: Bulldogs 0, Warriors 4.
Scoring sequence: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 24-0, 30-0, 36-0, 40-0, (HT), 46-0, 52-0, 58-0, 58-6, 64-6, 70-6, (FT).
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Chris Wilson
Media Manager, Gloucestershire Warriors RLFC
Tel: +44 (0)1684 850903
Mobile: + 44 (0)7905 931033
Email: gloswarriors2004@aol.com
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The Gloucestershire Rugby League is an organisation for local rugby league clubs in Gloucestershire. Our main activity currently is to promote rugby league through the County and give useful information about our sport to the public of Gloucestershire.
