ASSISTANT coach Gail Fry saluted the attitude of North East Worcestershire Ravens, despite being dumped out of the Midlands Plate semi-finals by Telford Raiders.
Ravens went down 74-26 to the visiting Raiders on Saturday, as the club again had to deal with an injury-hit squad.
Fry applauded the fight demonstrated by the players, despite the fates being against them a number of times this season already.
“The lads are a great group of lads with such drive and fight,” she said.
“It’s proving a hard season with low numbers, due to long-running injuries, but the lads play for each other, play for the love of the game and play on no matter what.
“I think it’s a great attitude to have and am very proud to have them as players and friends.”
Starting with only 10 men on the pitch, later bumping up to 12, Ravens gave their all, but it was never likely to be enough against a full-strength Telford.
With a three-man advantage in the first half, the Raiders cut open the hosts’ defence time and again to build a solid lead by the break.
Ravens clawed back some credibility in the second half, striking within the first minute of the restart through Jonnie Mills’ try. That score was backed up by captain Liam Dunne’s run to the line for a try converted by David Wimbury.
Telford, somewhat in a state of shock, took a while to recover, but answered with a few additional tries in the corners, before Ravens scored a third through Dave Swaysland, again converted by Wimbury.
Mills crossed the whitewash for a second time moments later, followed by a score for Jamie O’Donnell to ensure that they won the second half at least, but it was not enough to overturn the commanding first-half deficit.
The Ravens come up against Telford again for a league fixture on Saturday (2.30pm), whilst the junior Ravens head to Sherwood Wolf Hunt on Sunday, where they hope to go another festival unbeaten.
For more information, visit www.newravensrl.co.uk
