Rugby League: Sonics scare relieved warriors (From Stroud News and Journal)

Rugby League: Sonics scare relieved warriors

THE Gloucestershire Warriors recorded their sixth consecutive win in the TOTALrl.com Rugby League Conference South West division, but were made to fight all the way by a tenacious Bristol Sonics side.

Winger Ollie Bloom t ook his season's tally to eight with a hat-trick of tries Tim Stevenson booted seven goals from ten attempts.

Facing a depleted opposition, the Warriors fancied running up a big score and after Andy Brown opened the scoring on four minutes before setting up Stevenson for a good score ten minutes later it looked like being the case.

However, James Gross replied immediately for the visitors following a home error and Dom Swann's goal cut the deficit to four points.

The Warriors dominated the remainder of the half without really cutting loose and crossed the Sonics line five more times before the interval.

No sooner had the Sonics got back into the game, then it was taken away from them. Karl Kocerhan blasted through for a try after good hands had released him out wide and two minutes later, James Copsey and Stevenson combined to send Bloom racing away for the first of his three tries. Four minutes after that, Copsey stepped inside the defence and raced away to score and then Rich Carter's pace saw him escape the defence for his sixth try of the season.

Copsey then added his second try after the ball had gone loose from an attempted ball steal and with Stevenson converting four of the scores, the Warriors had an impressive 38-6 lead.

The Sonics hit back with Russell Tanner collecting a hat-trick in five minutes either side of the interval. Swann converted twice and the Sonics were just about in touch at 38-22.Rocked by the comeback, the Warriors made the game safe with three more tries.

Coopey's high kick after 52 minutes was collected by Bloom who evaded the defence to touch down under the posts, Stevenson converting.Coopey then scored a glorious try just two minutes later. Showing the ball to defender after defender, his deceptive changes of pace took him around and away from the bemused Sonics rearguard and under the posts for Stevenson to add the goal.

Bloom finished the Warriors' scoring with ten minutes to go as some classic backline passing gave him an easy try in the corner. By this time the Warriors were a man short with Brown cooling his heels in the sin-bin. With five minutes remaining, the Sonics had the final word as Swann crossed from close range though he was unable to convert the try.

TOTALrl.com Conference South West Division Glos Warriors 54pts Bristol Sonics 26pts