TOTALrl .com Rugby League Conference Championship Southern Semi-Final
Gloucestershire Warriors 36pts, Kingston Warriors 16pts
THREE tries in six minutes midway through the first half gave the Gloucestershire Warriors the cushion to hold off a spirited Kings ton Warriors fightback and seal a place in the club's first TOTALrl.com Rugby League Conference final, writes Chris Wilson.
A marvellously entertaining match swung from end to end with both sides creating plenty of scoring opportunities but Gloucestershire had the cutting edge to finish theirs and the defensive steel to withstand some concerted Kingston pressure.
It was Kingston who took an early lead as impressive scrum half Rick Mee weaved his way through a static Gloucestershire defence to score with barely two minutes on the watch.
He was unsuccessful with the conversion and Gloucestershire immediately replied.
James Coopey's sublime round the man pass gave Danny Burke a try and Andy King's goal gave Gloucestershire a 6-4 lead after six minutes.
There then followed an absorbing battle as both sides took it in turn to attack and d efend but it took until just after a quarter of the game had gone for the scoreboard to move again and Gloucestershire moved it decisively in their favour.
Tom James' long break set up the position and Andy Brown's angled run saw him to the line. Again King added the extras.
Three minutes later aggressive defence from Gloucestershire saw Kingston cough up possession in their own 20-metre zone and James was able to bring Karl Kocerhan on the angle for Gloucestershire's third try, improved by King.
Almost from the restart, Coopey sliced through inside his own half and had the speed to go all the way for Gloucestershire's third converted try inside six minutes.
Far from being on the ropes, Kingston came back and just before the break, Carl Gregor lost control of the ball stretching for the line and the score was disallo wed.
There was still time for King to put an inviting penalty chance just past the post before the sides changed ends with Gloucestershire leading 24-4.
The second period started in similar manner to the first with Mee gliding through from 30-metres to the posts with two mi nutes of the half elapsed.
This time he converted and the game was back in the balance.
After 54 minutes, King added a try to his tally of goals, crashing over after Andy Bird had gone close with a typical run. The conversion put Gloucestershire 30-10 ahead.
Kingston then threw everything at Gloucestershire in a bid to save the game. Brown made a magnificent one-on-one tackle to deny a runaway Peter Williams and Gloucestershire scrambled superbly to keep out the remaining tackles of the set.
Three minutes later, Kingston again lost the ball reaching for the whitewash before Gregor scored a fine try as a corridor of space opened up in front of him. Mee converted but it was to be Kingston's last points.
With nine minutes to go straight, hard, driving running took Gloucestershire to the Kingston line and Bird scrambled over from close range to cap a superbly consistent eighty minutes. King converted to seal a fine team display.
The final will be against Wetherby Bulldogs who defeated Thorne Moor marauders 30-0 in the Northern semi final played at Dudley Hill, Bradford.
It will take place at Coventry RFC's Butts Arena on Sunday September 4, kick off 4.30pm.
The Warriors are looking for sponsors to support them in producing a special shirt to mark the occasion.
Anybody interested in helping in thi s way should contact the club on 01684 850903 0r 07905 931033.
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