Unbeaten Cobras Tame Sharks

Rylands kicked off the game and Cobras opened the scoring on 2 mins after a huge exit set turning the ball over on the home teams 10 meter line and after some stern defence the ball was dislodged from a Rylands players hands, standoff Liam Hughes was first to react and raced in untouched, Alex West added the extras.
Only ten minutes had passed when a neat kick found West out wide who then beat the fullback to go in out wide, West this time unsuccessful with his conversion. Hughes who has come back to Cobras after three years away seems to have changed the homes teams style of play and it certainly suits Rochdale who now had the game played at their pace and it was the standoff who was next over for his second try when a set play saw him cut through the back line to go in near the sticks, West converting. Fullback Tom Hadley showed he was made of sterner stuff when the 16 year old took a crash ball over the line a play normally reserved for the prop forwards, West again adding the two. The game was now looking very one way with forwards Tom Morris, Luke Nutley, Fereti Bau, Jamie Lawlor & Lee Moore making huge drives down the middle of the pitch and backs Dan Catlow, West and Pete Marland looking like scoring every time the ball was moved out wide. A neat ball from Hadley and some fine individual skill from West rounded off the first half with him again adding two points.
Half time 28-0 to Cobras
The second half started much the same way the first finished this time second row forward Bau stepping his opposite number and racing in from 40 yards, West tagging on the two. The cold was now setting in on Firgrove which seemed to effect the away team more the the local lads and this showed as Gareth Wood danced his way over after some good work from Marland and Diggle, West converting. Rylands did get a consolation try and conversion when good work down the middle of the field set them up as their centre steamed over from close range. Captain Catlow was over the white wash after good work at the scrum by Cameron Cowin who ripped the ball from the Sharks loose forward, the young forward then shipped the ball out wide to Catlow in the centre who had too much for the Rylands back line and crashed over out wide, West missed what turned out to be the last Kick of the game but still notched up a personal haul of 20 points for the day.
Cobras new coaches Ben Bird and Dave Ramsbottom where pleased with the outcome, Ben told us – “Its been about going back to basics with the lads this season which has brought some success up to now but we shouldn’t get to over excited its a long season of 30 plus games and we are only a few in!!!” he continued “We have been helped massively by the lads commitment and of course the new lads and returning lads, Freddy in the pack has been a revelation for us so too has Gaz Wood and Liam Hughes who have been linking up well with Tom at the back and our centres, we believe in our selves at this time which in rugby league at this level is almost all you need!”
M.O.M – Fereti Bau
Team:-
1. Tom Hadley
2. Ben Kirkham
3. Dan Catlow
4. Alex West
5. Pete Marland
6. Liam Hughes
7. Gareth Hutchins
8. Ben Boothman
9. Scott Manock
10. Tom Morris
11. Fereti Bau
12. Luke Nutley
13. Gareth Wood
14. Lee Moore
15. Cameron Cowin
16. David Diggle
17. Jamie Lawlor