BEARS coach Tom Tsang believes their League One opening day defeat to Doncaster was a ‘rude awakening’.
The season kicked off in earnest on Sunday with a healthy crowd packing the Keepmoat Stadium but it proved to be a difficult afternoon for Coventry who ended up on the wrong side of a 70-10 reverse.
The Bears had been recruiting players from across the Midlands to try and create a cohesive unit but things could not have started off any worse.
“It was always going to be a tough first game of the season but the team and I are really disappointed with how the scoreboard blew out,” said Tsang.
“Defensively we didn’t effectively handle to speed and aggression with which the Doncaster pack carried the ball.
“It was a rude awakening to life in League One this season but we will not shy away from the challenge.
“We have a squad of players who will work their butts off to improve.”
At first the Dons were rather shaky, and the Bears took an early lead on five minutes following a Dons error.
Hayden Freeman crossed the line, but Paul Emanuelli was unable to capitalise on the conversion.
The Dons pulled back just three minutes later with a try from Jason Tali, and then four minutes later they were over again, courtesy of Brad England and with both tries converted it stood at 12-4.
That score remained until Bears’ Lewis Lord sneaked over, with Emanuelli putting the ball between the sticks this time.
However, the home side were quick to respond and the 8 point margin was quickly restored.
Then with two minutes to go before the half time hooter, the Dons stepped up a gear and ran in two tries in quick succession, blows from which the Bears were never to recover as they went into the dressing room 30-10 down.
The Bears came out in a determined mood, but gradually the hosts took over again, scoring steadily every five minutes and usually managing to convert.
With twelve minutes left, the dreaded half century was reached as the Dons made it 52-10.
The procession of home tries continued but Vitalini gave the small band of travelling Coventry supporters something to cheer about as he crossed the line for the Bears only to have it disallowed which rather summed up the days outing.
Tsang will be hoping for better on Sunday when they welcome Cumbrian side Distington to the Butts Park Arena for a Challenge Cup third round clash.
