Comfortable for Rovers on the Peterlee lake (From Warrington Guardian)

Comfortable for Rovers on the Peterlee lake

9:48am Monday 11th March 2013 in Sport

Peterlee Pumas 6 Woolston Rovers 56

WOOLSTON Rovers made it two wins out of two in the Hattons Solicitors National Conference League Division Three with a comfortable victory at Peterlee Pumas on Saturday in a game played on a pitch that resembled a lake.

Rovers had too much class and experience for a game but ultimately outclassed Pumas side and the margin of victory could well have been a lot bigger if it had not been for the very wet and freezing conditions in the North East.

The scoring was opened by Woolston in the twelfth minute when a good ball out from debutant loose forward Ben Moores found second row Ryan Jones and he slipped it to centre Mike Stout who managed to return the ball to Jones who put winger Ryan Cosgrove over in the left corner for an unconverted try.

Five minutes later full back Troy Brophy was held just short following a good run but from the play the ball Stout found substitute John Welch who powered over from close range. Scrum half Daniel O’Brien added the conversion.

Rovers increased their lead when a fine forty metre run by Moores saw him hauled down metres away from the line and a quick play the ball saw Jones score on the left.

Then on the half hour a handling error by the Pumas gave Woolston a scrum deep in their half and from that second row Scott Davidson raced twenty metres to score. O’Brien landed both conversions.

The next Rovers try came when Stout kicked ahead and a race ensued that saw stand off Billy Maunder hack the ball on further and then he collected to score on the left.

O’Brien added on the extras and then a minute before the break a good ball from Maunder found Moores who went over under the posts. O’Brien’s goal made the half time score 34-0.

Eleven minutes into the second half good work by the impressive Davidson paved the way for Jones to go over for his second try but then on the hour the home side were rewarded for their never-say-die attitude when loose forward Carl Brown scored at the right of the posts. Hooker Paul Flynn added the conversion.

Rovers responded when a strong drive by Davidson was too much for the Peterlee defenders to handle and he raced over for a try converted by O’Brien and then a strong forty metre run by substitute Mike Rosson split the Pumas defence and he passed on to Jones who put Cosgrove over on the left and O’Brien’s conversion brought up the half century.

Woolston went over for their tenth and final try three minutes before the end when a great run by prop forward Chris Mellor paved the way for Maunder to put Moores over on the left. O’Brien converted to complete a comprehensive 56-6 success.

The Man of the Match was awarded to Rovers prop forward Chris Mellor. He was very well supported by second row pair Scott Davidson and Ryan Jones.

Rovers: Troy Brophy, Ryan Cosgrove, Mike Stout, James Rosson, Christian Taylor, Billy Maunder, Danny O’Brien, Mark Robinson, Dan Heaton, Chris Mellor, Ryan Jones, Scott Davidson, Ben Moores. Subs: Ryan Kenyon, Andy Addison, John Welch, Mike Rosson.