COVENTRY Bears’ wait for a second League One victory continues after they slumped to a 46-12 defeat to Newcastle Thunder on Sunday.
The Bears managed a solid performance in the first half and early part of the second but faded towards the end, meaning the club are still awaiting their first league win since the 22-16 success at Hemel Hempstead in March.
Thunder’s Lewis Young was in fine try-scoring form and he scored his first of four tries after seven minutes. Remy Marginet converted to make it 6-0.
The Bears fought back and it was Brad Clavering’s try and Ben Stead’s conversion which put the sides level.
Young was soon over again and the powerful Mo Agoro barged his way through the Bears’ defence to add the home side’s third try.
A sparkling 60-yard return run from Vincent Rennie was the next Thunder score before Bears’ tormentor Young sealed his hat-trick to stretch the scoreline to 22-6.
Bears head coach Tom Tsang’s dressing room talk seemed to have done the trick as Coventry were first to score after the break with Chris Barrat barging over and Stead converting to reduce the margin to just ten points.
A dramatic comeback was not to be on the cards as Theeropool Ritson scored two in a row to add to the hat-trick he scored in the corresponding Butts Park fixture in March.
Agoro then added to his tally before Tyler Craig completed the home side’s scoring.
The focus now for Bears is to regroup ahead of Saturday’s big home game against Bradford Bulls.