Plenty of positives for Midlands Hurricanes despite heavy cup semifinal defeat

First, the cold hard facts of game: London Broncos won 62-24 in the semifinal of the 1895 Cup, with Brandon Webster-Mansfield scoring four of their 11 tries, and advanced to the final in August.

However, Midlands Hurricanes managed to score the most points any Championship team has scored against the full-time professional Broncos this season and, for long spells, put on a fantastic defensive display.

In front of the biggest crowd of the season at Avery Fields in Bearwood on Saturday, with more than 500 people and a huge away support, the Hurricanes also scored four tries.

The Broncos took an early 12-0 lead, with Webster-Mansfield touching down identical tries in the corner, but the Hurricanes rallied with an Aiden McGowan try following a strong Matty Chrimes run and only trailed 12-6.

The professional class, up against a semi-professional side, did show towards the end of the half, with Papua New Guinea internationals Finley Glare and Gairo Voro exploiting gaps in the defence to storm over, but a moment of magic by Sully Medforth, collecting his own kick to touch down, left the score 24-12 at half time.

With a boisterous away support roaring them on, London Broncos struck first in the second half with Webster-Mansfield completing his hat-trick.

However, new signing James Woodburn-Hall powered over from close range to score his first in Hurricanes colours and, at this point, there were just 10 points in it.

That was as close as the Hurricanes got, unfortunately, as after a mistake in front of the posts, Glare went over from a scrum, then Webster-Mansfield scored his fourth of the afternoon to take the game away from the home side.

Further tries by Siliva Havili, Scotland international Alex Walker and Connor O’Beirne took the score over 50 points for London, and while Elliott Morris scored off a grubber kick for the Hurricanes four try of the game, Ben Hursey got his name on the scoresheet to make it 62-24 at the final hooter.

Despite what looked on paper a heavy defeat, the Hurricanes can take a lot of pride from competing for long stretches with a fully professional team loaded with international players on what was a successful day for the club in general.

Midlands Hurricanes will welcome Swinton Lions to Avery Fields on Saturday, June 20 for a 1pm kick off.

Midlands Hurricanes

1 Todd Horner

22 Cian Tyrer

3 Ryan Johnson

2 Matty Chrimes

23 Aidan McGowan

30 James Woodburn-Hall

19 Sully Medforth

8 Jon Luke Kirby

14 Brandon Moore

10 Tyler Dickinson

11 Tom Wilkinson

21 Zach Jebson

15 Elliot Morris

Subs (all used)

9 Aiden Roden

13 Mikey Wood

16 Zeus Silk

28 Isaac Shaw

Tries: McGowan (23), Medforth (38), Woodburn-Hall (48), Morris (74)

Goals: Medforth 4/4

London Broncos

22 Alex Walker

20 Brandon Webster-Mansfield

18 James Meadows

27 Ted Davidson

2 Elliot Wallis

23 Gairo Voro

7 Dean Hawkins

8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard

13 Siliva Havili

10 Emarly Bitungane

11 Luke Smith

19 Ben Hursey

15 Sadiq Adebiyi

Subs (all used)

6 Connor O’Beirne

14 Finley Glare

17 Marcus Stock

24 Lewis Bienek

Tries: Webster-Mansfield (3, 15, 42, 61), Glare (27, 53), Voro (30), Havili (65), Walker (68), O’Beirne (71), Hursey (78)

Goals: Meadows 9/11