Midlands Hurricanes 24-62 London Broncos
1895 Cup Semi-Final
By Tom Kiernan-Wilson
After securing a 48-0 walkover against North Wales Crusaders in the First Round and a 34-40 emphatic win over Oldham in the Quarter-Final, the Canes found themselves just 80 minutes away from their first ever cup final as a club. However, to make it to the final the Canes would have to overcome a London Broncos side that scores on average 63 points per game and concedes just eight.
The Broncos took an early lead during just their second set, as winger Brandon Webster-Mansfield would find himself the beneficiary of a two-on-one overlap on the right edge (0-4), which James Meadows would convert (0-6). After ten minutes of back-and-forth action between the two sides, Webster-Mansfield would get his second try with a largely identical effort (0-10), which Meadows would again convert (0-12).
The Canes would almost open their account on the 20-minute mark as Matty Chrimes collected a Sully Medforth chip to race away before being brought down five metres from the Broncos line. Just five minutes later Chrimes would be the architect for our first try as an impressive tackle bust allowed him to pass right to Aidan McGowan who raced away to score (4-12). Sully would convert from out wide (6-12).
The Broncos would strike back just two minutes later as a break from PNG international Gairo Voro down the middle fed fellow PNG international Finlay Glare to score under the sticks despite McGowan managing to catch him close to the line (6-16). Meadows would convert (6-18). Five minutes later, Voro would score his own try as the Canes defence was caught napping (6-22) and Meadows would once again convert (6-24).
Just before halftime, the Canes struck back with the try of the afternoon. Some passes from left to right saw Chrimes and McGowan make some big metres down the wing before the ball found Medforth. Sully would chip the ball over the Broncos defence and collect it before plonking it down to the raucous applause of the Canes fans (10-24). Sully would then convert his own effort (12-24).
The Broncos would start the second-half in pretty much identical fashion to the first, as Webster-Mansfield would earn his hat-trick two minutes in with a third identical try in the right corner (12-28). Meadows could not convert however. A few minutes later the Broncos thought they were in for their sixth try but this would be pulled back for an obstruction in the build-up.
Five minutes later, the Canes hit back as James Woodburn-Hall would take advantage of field position to duck a Broncos tackle before stretching out to dot the ball down for his first try in Canes colours (16-28). Sully would nail the conversion from out wide (18-28).
It would only take another five minutes for the Broncos to extend their lead again as Glare cut through two Canes defenders to execute a training ground move from the scrum (18-32). Meadows would miss the conversion. After conceding a goal-line drop out, Webster-Mansfield would score on the 61st minute after finding a gap through the Canes defence (18-36) and Meadows would add the extras (18-38).
With 13 minutes to go, Tongan international Liva Havili would score for the visitors after scooting from dummy-half under the sticks (18-42) and Meadows would convert (18-44). Two minutes later the Broncos would go back to back as Alex Walker would get the ball down after a break down the middle (18-48) and Meadows would convert to take the Broncos to a half-century (18-50).
Four minutes after Walker’s effort, half-back Connor O’Beirne would sell a dummy before squirming through some tired defence to score right of the sticks (18-54) and Meadows would once again add the extras (18-56).
As the sides entered the final five minutes, the Canes would strike back with their fourth try as a Sully Medforth grubber was pounced on by Elliot Morris for his first try of the season (22-56). Sully would convert from in front of the posts (24-56), bringing him within just eight points of surpassing the record for the most points scored by a Canes player in a single season (currently Dan Coates – 147 (2021)).
It would be London who had the last word however, as Hursley-Hord would take the ball in at close range and coasted through a gap to the left of the sticks (24-60) that Meadows converted just before the hooter (24-62).
Whilst the Canes bow out of the 1895 Cup, they can be proud of a marked improvement compared to the 64-0 away loss to London down at Plough Lane in the previous league fixture. Midlands’ 24 points also represents the most points scored by a Championship side against London this season to date, with Super League side Bradford Bulls being the only side to score more (26) earlier in the season.
The Canes now focus their attention on an important league return fixture against Swinton Lions at Avery Fields on Saturday.
Man of the Match:
Sully Medforth (Sponsored by Ideal Building Systems)
Tries:
Medforth, Medforth, Woodburn-Hall and Morris
Cons:
Medforth (4/4)
