MIDLANDS HURRICANES caused a scare in their first competitive game under their new name before eventually losing 36-16 against Rochdale Hornets in the Challenge Cup.
The team formerly known as Coventry Bears, were competing in the second round of rugby league’s biggest cup competition and will play their home games at Portway this season, located just off the M42 Junction with the A435.
And the only semi-professional rugby league team in the Midlands held their own before a 14-minute blitz from the home side saw Rochdale stretch into a 22-0 lead.
However, the Hurricanes struck back through Nathan Newbound’s first try for the club, converted by Benn Hardcastle, before Hayden Freeman touched down to make the score 22-10.
Rochdale scored the first try of the second-half to dampen hopes of an upset only for Hardcastle’s converted try to bring the score to 28-16 with 20 minutes left to play.
However, the Hornets clinched the game in the closing stages to run out 36-16 winners as the Hurricanes return to pre-season training at their Portway base.
Midlands Hurricanes begin their League One campaign in late March away at Doncaster RLFC.
