BEARS OUT FOR REVENGE FOR OPENING DAY LOSS
There are five games to go to save the Warriors season. With Leicester Phoenix and Birmingham Bulldogs looking strong favourites to grab two of the three play-off places, it is a four-way fight between the Warriors, Derby City, Bristol Sonics and Coventry Bears for the remaining place.
The Warriors will face all of these opponents and nothing less than victory will do if they are to claim a play-off place. The quest begins with a game against Coventry Bears at Chosen Hill this Saturday. The game kicks off at 12noon and the Third Lions Test will be shown on the big screen in the Chosen Hill clubhouse from 2pm.
The Bears are currently rebuilding their squad after a number of players left to join National three side Hemel Stags in the off-season. Fortunately their Academy has come good and several players have stepped up to claim places in the new-look Bears side.
After a slow start, which saw the Warriors record their first ever win over the Bears senior side in the opening game of the season, they have found some form and in their last game, came from behind to defeat Birmingham 37-26. They will provide a stern test for the Warriors and will be keen to repeat their win here in the last game of the 2008 campaign when a late Graham Healey penalty edged them home 24-22.
The last few weeks have been difficult ones for the Warriors, with a lack of players and late cry-offs meaning that the resources available to coach Tom James are limited and consequently the Warriors have been beaten by more experienced outfits. Their prospects for the rest of the season will rest on the players available. As with the nine who performed heroically at Birmingham last week, there is no shortage of commitment and skill once the game gets underway, its prior to that that counts.
Prior to kick off, both teams will observe a minutes silence as a mark of respect for Coventry Bears Patron Tony Chambers who passed away recently.
MIDLANDS PREMIER DIVISION TABLE:
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | Pts |
| Leicester Phoenix | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 223 | 135 | 88 | 12 |
| Birmingham Bulldogs | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 214 | 139 | 75 | 10 |
| Derby City | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 246 | 144 | 102 | 8 |
| Bristol Sonics | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 184 | 206 | -22 | 8 |
| Gloucestershire Warriors | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 160 | 254 | -94 | 6 |
| Coventry Bears | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 187 | 182 | 5 | 4 |
| Telford Raiders | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 90 | 244 | -154 | 0 |
Redditch Ravens withdrew from competition. Their record has been expunged.
TOP SCORERS (after 7 Rounds):
Tries:
8 Darren Birch (Leicester Phoenix)
7 Ty Watson (Leicester Phoenix)
6 Danny Bancroft (Birmingham Bulldogs)
6 Tanaka Chaunukawa (Coventry Bears)
6 Tristan Gill (Derby City)
6 Paul Szehofner (Telford Raiders)
5 Gareth Daikin (Derby City)
5 Dan Evans (Bristol Sonics)
5 James Gross (Bristol Sonics)
5 Parminder Tutt (Telford Raiders)
5 Clinton Tull (Birmingham Bulldogs)
4 Steve Barnes (Gloucestershire Warriors)
4 Richard Blagg (Derby City)
4 Jamie Howe (Leicester Phoenix)
4 Matt Hurdle (Gloucestershire Warriors)
4 Tom OToole (Coventry Bears)
4 Richard Rainger (Birmingham Bulldogs)
4 Dom Swann (Bristol Sonics)
Goals (Including field goals):
31 Nathan Walmsley (Leicester Phoenix)
31 Paul Worthington (Derby City)
26 Danny Bancroft (Birmingham Bulldogs)
17 Dom Swann (Bristol Sonics)
12 Nathan Tilsley (Coventry Bears)
Points:
76 Danny Bancroft (6 tries, 26 goals)
73 Nathan Walmsley (3 tries, 30 goals, 1 field goal)
73 Paul Worthington (3 tries, 30 goals, 1 field goal)
50 Dom Swann (4 tries, 17 goals)
32 Darren Birch (8 tries)
28 Ty Watson (7 tries)
24 Tanaka Chaunukawa (6 tries)
24 Danny Davis (Gloucestershire Warriors) (3 tries, 6 goals)
24 Tristan Gill (6 tries)
24 Nathan Tilsley (12 goals)
24 Paul Szehofner (6 tries)
Next fixtures, Saturday 4 July:
Bristol Sonics v Birmingham Bulldogs
Gloucestershire Warriors v Coventry Bears (12.00pm kick off)
Telford Raiders v Derby City
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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.
