Outlaws are just champion

CONFERENCE SOUTH GRAND FINAL
VALLEY COUGARS 16 v 39 NOTTINGHAM OUTLAWS
By Ian Golden at AFC Corsham

Nottingham Outlaws gave a level headed performance to wrestle the Conference League South title away from holders Valley Cougars, the Welsh side being their own worst enemies as persistent offending ultimately cost them the game.

For eight minutes of the second half, they were actually down to 10 men after two sendings off and a sin-binning, just as they were coming back into the contest after conceding three early tries.

Some good early play from the Cougars gave them a couple of chances but neither were taken. Marcus Webb’s bomb was picked up by Dan Davies but he was short of the line, as he was again in the next set of six.

But Nottingham scored from their first attack when John Christie forced his way over from acting half. Dan Smith converted.

Davies was again denied at the other end before performing heroics, catching Adrian Chaima on a 100 metre charge and forcing him into touch.

Nottingham extended their lead on 18 minutes when Jimmy Goodwin scored in the corner. Smith’s kick made the score 12-0.

Cougars’ attacks continued to come to nothing. Ben Jones picked up superbly but was held short but Davies failed to cut inside and was pushed into touch.

Nottingham made them pay and Chaima made no mistake from his next length of the field burst, scoring underneath the sticks and Smith converting.

Cougars weren’t giving up. A clever move, started by Marcus Webb, could have resulted in a try, but Lewis Phillips dropped a tricky off-load as he was close to the line.

Five minutes before the interval they finally broke through when Craig Lewis scored a well-taken try in the corner as he pushed off three markers. Ben Jones’ kick was wide.

Cougars scored again in the last play before half-time when Mike Hurley broke through. Ben Jones converted.

However the Welsh side’s attempt to get back into the game took their first downfall when Dan Davies was given a yellow card for persistent offending, turning into a red for talking back.

Outlaws made them pay, George Strachan breaking through the middle and Smith converting to make the score 24-10.

Gethin King then went to the bin leaving the Cougars with 11 on the field and Nottingham were straight over through Goodwin. A further yellow, which again turned into red, immediately followed, as Lewis’ departure left the Cougars, at least temporarily, with 10 men.

Against the odds, player coach Dafydd Hellard led from the front and scored the next time Cougars touched the ball. Marcus Webb converted to put the Cougars back to within 12 points.

The numbers game was always going to tell and Nottingham were next on the board as Chaima had the room to score under the sticks. Calland converting to make the score 34-16.

A Paul Calland drop goal followed as if to seal what Outlaws would really be mucking up if they lost from this stage.

Back to 11 men and the gutsy Cougars looked for another try back and almost got one, Hellard being held up over the line on the last tackle of a set.

But again the numbers game told for Nottingham as Adam Cunliffe found himself almost unmarked to rub salt into the Cougars’ wounds. Calland missed the kick but it mattered not as Nottingham ran out 39-16 winners.

VALLEY COUGARS
1 Danyl Davies
2 Lewis Phillips
3 Mike Hurley
4 Scott Greggs
5 Yousif Suliman
6 Lee Goddard
7 Marcus Webb
8 Scott Giles
9 Dean Higgs
10 Gethin King
11 Ethan Coombes
12 Lewis Wilkes
13 Scott Britton (c)
Subs:
14 Ben Jones
15 Dafydd Hellard
18 Craig Lewis
19 Adam Morgan

Tries: Lewis (35), Hurley (40), Hellard (61)
Goals: Jones 1/2, Webb 1/1

NOTTINGHAM OUTLAWS
1 Adam Cunliffe
5 Adrian Chaima
3 Adam Simm
4 Jimmy Goodwin
2 Jon Christie
23 Dan Smith
7 Alex Whittle
8 Chris Prime
14 Simon Morton
19 Joe Barton
15 Garyn Ward
12 Oliver Dale
16 George Strachan
Subs:
9 Oliver Crick
13 Will Ephraim
17 Paul Calland
18 Pat Crummay

Tries: Christie (7), Goodwin (18, 58), Chaima (28, 65), Strachan (54), Cunliffe (80)
Goals: Smith 4/5, Calland 1/2
Field-goal: Calland (68)

Referee: Darren Hayes
Half-time: 10-18