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EELS SLIP THROUGH FINGERS AS TIGERS CUP RUN ENDS

EELS SLIP THROUGH FINGERS AS TIGERS CUP RUN ENDS

Bradley Hirons13 Feb 2023 - 15:00
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Despite trailing by 24 points after an hour, Tigers rallied back, with only a last-gasp try seeing Brentwood punch their ticket into the second round.

The opening stanza of the game was extremely well-balanced with both sides getting early chances near the opposition line, but it was the home side who got themselves on the board first.

A high bomb from Brentwood was allowed to bounce between Joel Davies and Josh Hudson-Lett which resulted in the Eels making the most of the broken field to get the opening score.

The lead didn't last too long and Bedford were level after a strong kick return from Davies allowed Josh Spearing to shift the ball left. Offloads from Callum Moon and Scott Aspinall gave Hudson-Lett space on the outside to race away and dot down under the sticks.

Josh Spearing converted to level the scores at six-a-piece.

A poor exit set from the resulting kick-off put the Tigers straight back under pressure and the Brentwood hooker burrowed over for a second Eels try.

A third Brentwood try followed quickly after as Eels full-back Callum Whitcombe chipped the ball over the head of the right edge, gathered his own kick on the bounce and slid over in the corner.

HALF-TIME: Brentwood Eels 14-6 Bedford Tigers

Bedford started the second half the brighter and found themselves parked 40-metres out from the Eels' try line regularly. A four-on-two looked to have been exploited by Spearing but his flat pass to Hudson-Lett was plucked out of the air by the Brentwood right-winger and the Tigers seemed deflated at 20-6 down.

An error from Bedford gifted Brentwood a scrum 20-metres out from the try-line and simple hands out to the left saw the Eels go over for a fifth try of the afternoon and take a 24-point lead with 20 minutes to go.

Elliott Holton stepped up and showed his class when he linked up with Davies on a tackle four, with both players making defenders miss with ease before Holton released Rhys George who scored behind the sticks. Spearing once again converted for 30-12.

Tigers powered straight back up the field thanks to some ill discipline at the breakdown from Brentwood and from a metre out, Jordan Marshall found a gap to the side of the ruck and burrowed over once again. Spearing made it three from the boot and suddenly the deficit was only 12.

All hope seemed to be lost when Elliott Holton dribbled a kick through and despite regathering the ball couldn't ground the ball over the line due to some last-ditch defending from Brentwood, which was quickly followed by another interception from the Eels close to their own line.

However, a high kick was claimed easily by Hudson-Lett who raced 70 metres before being brought down. A quick play-the-ball saw George in space once again on the right and the centre claimed his second of the afternoon.

Spearings 100% conversion rate continued as he slotted the extras to make the scores 30-24 with just two minutes remaining.

Bedford received the ball and looked to play expansively around Brentwood to grab a try and potentially send the game to extra time but a loose ball was secured by the Eels who managed to escape down the left and score in the corner to secure their place in the second round of the Betfred Challenge Cup.

Final Score: Brentwood Eels 34-24 Bedford Tigers

TEAM: Davies, Hudson-Lett, Neild, George, Lawal-Saulawa, Gronert, Spearing, Richbell, Marshall, Sharp, Ashton, Moon, Holton
INTERCHANGES: Little, Tayerzerwa, Fitzpatrick, Aspinall

TRIES: George (2), Hudson-Lett, Marshall
GOALS: Spearing (4/4)

Man of the Match: Joel Davies

Further reading