DESPITE being deadlocked at the break at 14-14, Coventry Bears roared to an impressive 50-18 triumph over West Wales Raiders on Sunday.
In what was Coventry’s final home Betfred League One outing of the season, Richie Squires’ eighth-placed side will hope to build momentum from the sizeable win, with their three remaining games of the season all being played on the road.
After Hayden Freeman’s early try was cancelled out by Phil Cowburn’s converted score, Reece Rance then gave the Bears a momentary lead midway through the half until Jack Uren four-point effort resumed West Wales’ advantage.
With the half ending level, following a converted Kieran Sherratt try for the hosts and Aedan Coleman’s levelling score, it was clear who held the upper hand after the interval.
Kieran Hudson raced clear to get the second-half scoring underway just three minutes in, with Dan Coates converting for a second time, to signal the beginning of a glut of Coventry scores.
Nathan Hill then joined in on the action with his first of the afternoon, adding his brace on 54 minutes after collecting a high pass upfield.
And when David Evans was sinbinned for the visiting Raiders, Coventry raced into a 20-point lead on the hour mark when Liam Welham evaded four players to claim Bears’ third-converted try of the afternoon.
Dave Scott then added his name to the scoresheet with maximum points, before Rance latched onto Sam Bowring’s pass to claim his second try and complete the scoring for the hosts.
While Evans may have reduced the arrears with an unconverted score in the corner, the ruthlessness of Coventry’s play was highly admirable, and will be something that Squires and Co. will hope to replicate at Hunslet – seventh – on Sunday.