Welcome to March to the Arch 5, starts Saturday.

Well it's that time of the year again. The start of the F.A.Cup, I know and only August! Those of you who have been with us as Sports Pulse and beyond will know that March to the Arch, is our F.A.Cup tracker. A quick explanation and point system will follow. First, however, it is congratulations to Chelmsford City who won March to the Arch 4. A total of 29 points won, over 5 appearences in the tracker, the highlight being a 3-1 win at local rivals Colchester United. The Urchins join Accrington Stanley, Brighton & Hove Albion and Tottenham Hotspur as MTTA Champions. The past 4 seasons we have started at Barkingside, they now start the competition in the next round. So a new venue to begin the March. We start at the London Maccabi Lions who start at home against Stotfold in the Extra Preliminary Rpound. Both teams ply their trade in the Spartan South Midlands Premier League. So here is a quick update on rules and good luck to both teams on Saturday. A mach report will appear here on Monday. MTTA is a 'tracker' competition. We select a team to start us off, this season is London Maccabi Lions. We then follow the progress of the competition via the resulting fixtures. The first game is London Maccabi Lions vs Sotfold, we will follow the winner into the next round. This process will continue until the final. Teams will be awarded Merit points after each tie as listed below. Clear as mud, it will all become clear. Point System. Merit Points are awarded after each round. The winner will be the team who have accumulated the most points over the competition. There are 15 Rounds between the Extra Preliminary Round and the Final. If teams are level on points at the end of the tournament the winner will be: 1) The team with the most appearances in the tracker. 2) The head to head result between the teams if applicable. 3) Goal Difference over the competition 4) Goals scored 5) If still level after the above, position will be shared. Merit Points are awarded as follows 8 points Away win 7 points Home win 6 points Away win after replay 5 points Home win after replay 4 points Away defeat after replay 3 points Home defeat after replay 2 points Away defeat 1 point Home defeat Semi Final 8 points for a win 3 points for defeat 1 point deducted each team, if tie goes to extra time. 2 points deducted each team, if tie goes to penalties. Final 10 points for win 5 points for defeat 1 point deducted each team, if tie goes to extra time. 2 points deducted each team, if tie goes to penalties. Bonus Points Divisions will be split into 11 groups. 1 point will be awarded to teams that beat a club above their group (1 point per group above the lower team). For example if Harpenden Town, from the South Midlands League, beat Premier League Manchester United, they will receive 9 bonus points. The groups are split as follows Group 1: Premier League Group 2: Championship Group 3: League 1 Group 4: League 2 Group 5: Blue Square Premier Group 6: Blue Square North and South Group 7: Regional Premier Leagues (e.g Ryman Premier etc) Group 8: Regional 1st Divisions (e.g Ryman 1st Divisions North and South etc) Group 9: County Leagues (Essex Senior League etc) Group 10: County League feeder divisions (e.g South Midland League 1st Division etc) Group 11: General leagues.

Welcome to SportQubes, the new blog from SportTrades.

Welcome to our brand new blog. SportQubes repleaces Sport:Pulse. www.sportqubes.blogger.com

Our main aim is to notify you of general sponsorship opportunities. We will also keep up with a number of features previously covered by Sport:Pulse.

We will inform you of these features in time. Tomoorrow we will let you know about the first, March to the Arch. Our F.A.Cup tracker that begins this weekend.

We proudly introduce, SportQubes, a fresh approach to the concept of Sponsorship from SportTrades.

SportQubes help simplify and fully utilise all sponsorship opportunities available at clubs and organisations.

The general sponsorship philosophy for primary, secondary and other significant investments remain unchanged. Experience teaches us that a number of opportunities remain unmatched, once the major agreements have been agreed and completed.

Individual items are therefore difficult to sell without drastic reduction in costs. Leaving organisations unable to benefit from the full potential of sponsorship/funding available.

SportQubes simply repackages the remaining items into cubes at easy and realistic pricing. SportQubes price range covers 3 to 4 levels of value, depending on the client. The ‘Qubes’ are placed at each level depending on the value of the main sponsorship/funding item. Each ‘Qube’ will contain 4 opportunities, including the Main item or ‘Anchor Sponsor’. The 3 remaining items can be selected by the customer, from a list of opportunities provided in the ‘LockerRoom’.

The KEY SPONSOR

The Key Sponsor is the headline or main item in each Qube. This will determine which pricing level the Qube will be placed at. The Qube then can be filled up by selecting 3 further items, from:

The LOCKERROOM

As mentioned above each Qube has a title item, the ‘Anchor Sponsor’. The Qube can be filled by selecting 3 further items from a list applicable to the relevant Pricing Level. This list is known as ‘the Locker Room’. Trading can take place in the Locker Room by customers, subject to our clients' approval. As an example, you may feel an additional item in a Qube at a higher value level, is more in line with your company policy or image. That is possible to change, subject to agreement from SportTrades and our client, by forfeiting a number of selections within your Qube. The Qube price never alters.

The Dark Art. Bishop Stortford RFC latest stop for Hoppa

Hoppa again stayed in, a new bottle of malt purchased and the new PS4 to test. So a smidging of silver surfing and he came across this result from Bishop Stortford, before heading for the conclave.

Thank you to the guys at Bishop Stortford Rugby Club for the following report and photo.

By Perry Oliver | Sunday 3rd March 2013

Stortford dodge a bullet to maintain their push for promotion.

Match report In John's temporary absence by Mark Smith assisted by the @BSRugby Twitter feed.

 

This important top half of the table clash was played on a clear but cool day, & a perfect pitch. In the earlier fixture between the two teams a 6-6 draw had been ground out in dreadful conditions, the hope today was for much more.

 

Pressure from Tonbridge from the kick off resulted in them crossing the try line after only 3 minutes only to be pulled back by the referee as the last pass drifted forward. This was an early wake up call for a slow starting Stortford.

 

The action ebbed and flowed in the middle of the pitch until finally a TJ’s penalty crept over the bar with the help of the upright to make it 0-3. Stortford responded quickly though, with a penalty of their own, to level the match at 3-3.

 

In what was always going to be a tight game the sides exchanged kicks, rucks and rolling mauls until a break by TJ’s centre John Farmer was spun wide to Full Back Ian Davey for a simple score. The conversion though was pulled wide. 3-8

 

A spell of poor tackling then allowed the Tonbridge Fly Half Charlie Harding to spot a gap to glide through, complete a pass to the flanker on his right and once again TJ’s found themselves across the line. This time the kick is good. And at Half time Stortford were struggling 3-15 down.

 

The second half started more positively for us though with Stocker making a clean break, and a good interchange of passes eventually put Marcus Cattell in the corner for our first try. Tom Coleman nailed a difficult kick from a very tight angle and at 10-15 it looked like we are back in the game

 

The next play resulted in Scrum half Sam Coleman taking a big hit to the face which led to his immediate replacement by Jimmy Rea. TJ’s were then penalised for not rolling away at the tackle and the ever reliable Tom Coleman closed the gap to 2 points. 13-15.

 

But the visitors weren’t about to yield the lead easily and following a sustained period of possession, Dan Hawkes their scrum half chipped over for his winger to score in the corner. The conversion though once again drifted wide. 13-20.

 

Stortford responded to that blow immediately and Steve Bull picked up from the base of a ruck and fought his way over the line score under the posts. Coleman once again added the extras and the game was all square at 20-20.

 

At this point the game was very tense with neither side fault free, both apparently waiting for the mistake that would allow a score. That score came for the home team when TJ’s were penalised for killing the ball and Tom Coleman put Stortford ahead for the first time in the match. 23-20.

 

A period of positive play from the hosts led to yet another penalty opportunity for Tom Coleman which he duly took to extend his sides lead to 26-20.

 

But TJ’s refused to give up and after a lengthy period of pressure the a gap was finally prised open in the home sides defence with what proved to be the final play of the game. At 26-25 it all came down to the final conversion kick to decide the match but from an eminently kickable position the TJ’s player missed and the anxious home support could finally exhale and celebrate the narrowest of victories . 26-25.

 

TJ’s must have rued so many missed kicks and on their journey back to Kent been wondering how they lost the game. It was by no means our best performance of the season and not even the most fervent Stortford supporter would deny that we probably dodged a bullet on this occasion having been outscored 4 tries to 2. Luckily for us we had a great place kicker and they did not!

 

So we’ll take the win if not the performance and move on to our next fixture against Tring this coming Saturday (9th). There are though no easy games in this league and Tring are fighting for their lives in this league. We can therefore anticipate another titanic battle. The edgy home support will hope though that next time whilst the result stays the same, the performance is a little more assured Otherwise we’ll have to start serving Valium from the pitch side bar!

 

Hoop Zone: Barking Abbey move closer to South East Title

Thank you too Mark, Lloyd and the Barking Abbey team for update and photo.

Barking Abbey moved a step closer to clinching the VCars.co.uk Division 4 South East regular season league title after beating Croydon Cougars 62-55 on Sunday afternoon.

“It was a total team effort in securing tonight’s win,” said head coach Frank Holloway after the game. “We came out ready to play and shared the basketball. Croydon is a very good team, and they play very physical inside the paint. I am proud of our guys for not backing down and accepting the challenge.”

BA now stand at 14-3 at the top of the South East conference, with University of East London NASSA in second place.

Roy Downey led BA with 19 points, David Akibo had a 14 point, 10 rebound double double, adding 3 steals and 2 blocks, and Niall Hegarty joined them in double figures with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Barking Women suffer defeat against Nottingham

Barking Abbey Senior Women suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Nottingham Wildcats, 70-45, on Saturday evening away from home.

“After the prepaaration we had, and loss of players to college visits, coupled with the injuries, we got what we deserved,” said head coach Mark Clark after the game. “Nottingham played hard and took advantage of a below par performance.

“Our young backcourt of Shanice Norton and Leah McDerment were a positive. It’s a different challenge for us now to prepare for a game after a disappointing performance and refocus on our performance. We’ll get back into practice and remember how well we have played before this weekend.”

Shanice Norton had 13 points to lead BA, with Leah McDerment adding 10. BA will look to bounce back next weekend when they face Leeds Carnegie at home (8:00pm tip, Barking Abbey Leisure Centre).

Front Row: Aviva Premiership Round 17 review.

Thank you to our friends at Aviva Premiership, for the following review of Round 17 and photo

 

London Welsh head coach Lyn Jones was less than impressed after watching the Exiles fall to a 35-14 Aviva Premiership defeat to Saracens at Allianz Park

 

After two Charlie Hodgson penalties, London Welsh scored the first try of the game through new addition from Harlequins Seb Stegmann to make it 6-5 after 26 minutes.

 

However, with Gavin Henson missing the conversion, that was a close as the Exiles would come to Saracens, who were to record four tries for a third successive try bonus point win.

A penalty try in the first half was followed by scores from Joel Tomkins and Will Fraser in a 15-minute spell in the second half before David Strettle added the fourth late on.

Hodgson recorded 15 points from the boot in total with Henson contributing two penalties and a drop goal to London Welsh's score at Allianz Park.

Three points separate the Exiles and bottom club Sale Sharks in the Aviva Premiership table and head coach Jones was a far from happy man after their 13th defeat of the season.

"Coaches, players or anybody involved in rugby aren't perfect; we all mistakes but all we ask for is consistency and that was missed," said Jones, who saw Phil MacKenzie and Tom Bristow yellow carded in the first half.

"You just want to go from week to week with a basic understanding of what is a competitive ruck. I felt the first two rucks were clear wins for us but they were penalties against us and if that's what the rules are that's fine.

"But then in the second half it wasn't like that - are you allowed to compete for the ball or not? I'm just confused about it and I'm just a coach.

"I don't know what it's like for players because one week it's all one thing then the following week it's completely different and I'm struggling with the consistency."

Meanwhile, if England head coach Stuart Lancaster came knocking then Tom Croft would answer his call with aplomb according to Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill after the flanker continued his comeback from a broken neck.

Croft was stand-in captain for the visit of bottom side Sale and played the full 80 minutes as doubles from Matt Smith and Ed Slater, a penalty try and a Mathew Tait effort lifted the Tigers to a 48-10 victory.
And Cockerill has seen enough to say with confidence that the 27-year-old is ready to contribute straight away to England's remaining Six Nations campaign.

"He is a good enough player to go and play," he said. "He has played two full games now and if England needed him I'm sure he would be ready to go and do a job.

"Tom's attitude has been outstanding and he has used the time when he has not been playing to deal with his contact work and his conditioning.

"With 15 minutes to go he was wanting a bit of oxygen but he works to the maximum all the time. I'd have no hesitation in saying that Tom is ready to go and play a Test match next week.
"He has worked really hard and been patient and we are now getting the rewards."

Elsewhere on Saturday, Northampton Saints wing Jamie Elliott followed up with his double against Bath Rugby by going one better in a 40-14 win over London Irish at Franklin's Gardens.

Elliott was joined on the scoresheet by Soane Tonga'uiha and Samu Manoa as Stephen Myler added four conversions, the Exiles' points coming from a Guy Armitage try and three Tom Homer penalties.
And Exeter Chiefs recorded a first-ever Aviva Premiership double over Harlequins as they left the Stoop 27-16 victors.

Ugo Monye had put the defending champions ahead after just five minutes but second-half tries from Damian Welch and Luke Arscott reignited the Chiefs' Heineken Cup charge.

On Friday night, Jonny Arr's try 12 minutes from time sealed a vital bonus-point 29-23 victory for Worcester Warriors, condemning London Wasps to a second successive defeat in the process.

And Bath Rugby earned the local bragging rights after winning the West Country derby with Gloucester Rugby 31-25 at the Rec thanks to tries from Kyle Eastmond and Tom Biggs as well as 16 points from the boot of Tom Heathcote.

But, despite continuing what seems to be their ruthless charge up the Aviva Premiership table, Bath head coach Gary Gold is refusing to get carried away.

He said: "I don't think we're back in the title race after just one performance but I do think we've now given ourselves a chance. I think we'll keep our feet on the ground - we're not back in the title race just yet.

"Slowly but surely I think we're getting to where we want to be. I think we're making better decisions now about whether to kick or run but I also still think we're making awful decisions."

Rebels 3: Rebels fall short against Waratahs

Thank you to our friends at Rebels Media Team for providing us with the following post by Pete Fairbairn and photo.

The RaboDirect Rebels took to Sydney for their first away match of the season against the Waratahs, looking to record their first ever victory over their biggest rivals and for the first time get their hands on the Weary Dunlop Shield.

But despite heading into the half-time break with a 10 point lead which still flattered the hosts, it was more of the same from the Rebels as they replicated their poor second half from last week and went down 31-26 in the end.

The Waratahs didn't take long to get on the scoreboard, with Brendan McKibbin able to give them a 3-0 lead in just the fourth minute as he knocked over a penalty from right in front. Fortunately, James O'Connor was able to restore parity just three minutes later.

It was an error-riddled opening from both sides with plenty of dropped ball, but the Rebels came closest to the crossing the line with Scott Higginbotham intercepting an errant pass and being dragged down after a solid sprint.  O'Connor was able to put the visitors in front with another penalty, and after the first quarter of the match it was the Rebels 6-3.

The Rebels had the lion's share of possession, with Rory Sidey and Ged Robinson looking assured in possession and working hard to back up their teammates in support. Constant infringements led to Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau receiving a yellow card, and Rebels' vice-captain for the evening, Ged Robinson, capitalised by getting over the line for his second try of the year. O'Connor kicked truly and the Rebels, having held 67% of possession, deservedly led 13-3 after 28 minutes.

McKibbin was able to reduce the deficit when he slotted his second kick of the night on the half hour mark, but the Rebels were dominating the game and reducing every Waratahs attacking movement to a mere couple of phases before forcing errors or turnovers.

O'Connor restored the ten point advantage, as the Rebels looked to hold that lead until the break. Nick Phipps broke the line and released a rampaging Richard Kingi, but convert Israel Folau managed to bring him down, and the Waratahs counter-attacked and won themselves a penalty - McKibbin was unable to add the points, and it was 16-6 to the visitors at half time.

Following the resumption, the Rebels picked up where they left off and again piled on the pressure. Luke Jones just failed to release Lachlan Mitchell out wide, but then it was the Waratahs who began to pile on the pressure for the first time in the game.

Laurie Weeks was sent to the bin as the Waratahs began to shuffle their pack, with Ben Volavola and Paddy Ryan joining the fray. And while the Rebels were able to subdue their opponents through sustained pressure, just one minute before the big prop was to re-join the game Folau offloaded for Bernard Foley to touch down across the dotted line, and with an easy kick in front McKibbin made it sixteen points apiece.

Volavola galvanised the Waratahs offensively as they showed more inventiveness than at any stage previously, and flanker Michael Hooper scored his first try for his new side following a great offload from Israel Folau, which was converted.

The Rebels were determined not to fade away as they did in Round Two against the Brumbies, and took advantage of the Waratahs being offside at the ruck to reduce the deficit back to four points .

It was end to end stuff, with Hooper and Benn Robinson working in tandem to win a penalty which McKibbin drilled from a long way out, straight in front. That was his final involvement, a calf injury forcing him from the field following a successful night with the boot, slotting six from seven.

The Rebels were unable to get their hands on the ball when it really counted, as the clock kept ticking and the chances of an upset looked less and less likely.

A clever chip from Drew Mitchell put the Rebels under the pump just five metres from their own line, and Shota Horie wasn't quick enough to get the throw in. From the resultant turnover, the Waratahs got over for their third try to replacement prop Ryan, his first in Super Rugby.

And time eventually ran out for the Rebels. Kurtley Beale managed to score his first try of the season beside the posts right at the death to secure a bonus point for the Rebels, but ultimately a lack of conviction in defence during the second half cost the Rebels a golden opportunity to get their hands on the Weary Dunlop Trophy for the first time.

The Waratahs picked up their first win of season 2013, and leapt to a 5-0 head to head record against the Rebels, who must now regroup as they head home to Melbourne to host 2011 Super Rugby champion Queensland Reds.

There were some positives for the Rebels, with the scrum managing to more than hold their own for the second week running against a Wallaby-strength front row.

Higginbotham had his best game yet in a Rebels jersey, admirably filling in for injured skipper Gareth Delve at number 8, while O'Connor and Beale threw plenty of clever balls and looked to break the line themselves.
But ultimately, it will be viewed as points lost, and a bitterly disappointed Rebels team must re-group quickly if they are to get their season back on track.

 
Pete Fairbairn is the Senior Rebels Writer and was watching the Waratahs host the Rebels in Round 3 of the 2013 Super Rugby season.

Rebels 3: Rebels defeat Force 30-23

Super Rugby returned over the weekend. For the 3rd season Sports Pulse will be following Melbourne Rebels. So welcome to the first post from Rebels 3 series.

Thank you to our friends at Melbourne Rebels Media Team for the following post by Pete Fairbairn.

For the first time in their three year history, the RaboDirect Rebels have got their season off to the perfect start, defeating the Western Force 30-23 in front of nearly 12,000 fans at AAMI Park.

Despite appearing to eradicate the issues in last week's trial, it was a familiar story for the Melbourne Rebels as they got off to a sluggish start as they did on so many occasions in 2012.

Starved of the ball for the opening ten minutes, the Rebels were under the pump directly from the kick-off when James O'Connor failed to find touch on the full and presented the Force with an opportunity to attack from the lineout, just 10 metres out.

The hard-work that the Rebels had put into their defence in the off-season was on show right from the outset as they repelled eight phases on their own goal line, but Kurtley Beale was caught offside and presented Force debutant Kyle Godwin with the opportunity to score the first points of the season.

Godwin missed with the kick, but didn't have to wait much longer to get on the scoresheet, knocking one over from straight in front after Ged Robinson was penalised for being off his feet.

The Rebels were putting the Force under plenty of pressure at set-piece time, stealing two lineouts from the back as the Force looked to convert their dominance into points, but when the Rebels did have the ball they were unable to hold onto it for long enough to make it count.

The Force extended their lead when Godwin knocked over a second penalty goal after Scott Higginbotham was sent to the bin, and Alfi Mafi scored the first try of the competition for 2013 just before the half hour mark, as the Force opened up an 11-0 lead.

Scott Fuglistaller and Gareth Delve were doing plenty of grunt work as the Rebels tried to accommodate for the loss of Higginbotham for ten minutes, and Robinson was looking dangerous when he carried the ball.

And it was Robinson who opened the scoring for the Rebels. With Higginbotham back on the field, the Rebels took advantage of a five metre scrum with a big push from the forwards resulting in Robinson planting it down, with O'Connor comfortably adding the extras. A penalty in front just before half-time reduced the deficit to one point as the teams went in at the break with plenty to discuss.

Right from the re-start, the Force looked to pile the pressure on again. Flyhalf Sam Christie broke almost immediately after the restart and only a fantastic tackle from Luke Jones kept him from regaining the lead instantly. Nick Phipps did well to collect a grubber kick, but was held up in goal and the Rebels did exceptionally well to defend on their own line and get the ball clear.

But after 46 minutes, it was the Rebels who took the lead. Great work from Fuglistaller to drive the Force away at the breakdown led to a turnover, and with Phipps delivering a lightning quick ball out wide, Richard Kingi was able to draw three defenders before miraculously offloading to Hugh Pyle to run over unopposed and score, with O'Connor easily adding the extras.

The yo-yo game continued though, with the Force hitting back moments later as Mafi grabbed his second from a set piece at the scrum. The scrum had been awarded after Beale’s quick pass to release Higginbotham was deemed forward.

O'Connor was able to add three points from just 20 metres out after Angus Cottrell was caught offside, with the Rebels holding onto a 20-16 lead until just before the hour mark when their cause was helped by Force flanker Chris Alcock being shown a yellow card for using his forearm.

Rebel pressure almost paid off immediately following Alcock's dismissal, as a big drive forward was only thwarted by the Force's dogged and desperate defence as they were held up over the line, and then Pyle was tackled just one metre short of the line after the scrum.

Tensions were building, with scrumhalf Alby Mathewson yellow carded as well and the Rebels were in a prime position to capitalise on their two-man advantage. They did just that, a fantastic cut-out pass from O'Connor releasing Kingi to complete a swan dive into the right-hand corner and when the fullback added the extras from the touchline, the Rebels had established a double figure lead for the first time all night and now had just a touch over fifteen minutes to push for a fourth try and subsequent bonus point.

The Force were keen to show that they weren't done yet, and the advantage was pulled back after they knocked on in good position, with Alcock now back on the field. And their pressure eventually paid off, despite stoic defending from the Rebels, with Richard Brown crashing over in front and Godwin adding the points; a lead of just 4 points set up a tense final ten minutes.

Jarrod Saffy replaced the brilliant Fuglistaller and instantly showed Rebels' fans just what they had missed during his long injury layoff, bringing fresh aggression and physicality to the contest. He was joined on the field by Paul Alo-Emile and Cadeyrn Neville as the Rebels looked to inject some fresh legs and kill off the Force.

They opted to extend their advantage when the Force were penalised for not rolling away, with O'Connor making t 30-23 after slotting truly from 30 metres out.

As the Force threw everything at the Rebels, those fresh legs played a massive part, with Alo-Emile getting low and driving the Force back as they got within range.

The hooter went with the Force in possession, but they knocked it on in what turned out to be their final surge, with the Rebels holding on to win by seven points.

Speaking after the game, Rebels coach Damien Hill said that while he wasn't pleased by the slow start, he never lost faith that the Rebels would win the game.

"In the first twenty minutes, we chose not to treasure possession and gave away opportunities," Hill said.

"Our discipline started to go, and fatigue began to set in.

"In the second half, while we weren't as clinical as we would have liked, it was definitely better and we were able to put points on the board."

Hill was also delighted with some of the players who were able to complete the full 80 minutes.

"For Laurie Weeks and James O'Connor, that was their first 80 minutes in a long time; for James, in eight months, which is a tremendous effort that shouldn't go unnoticed. Kurtley Beale played 43 weeks of rugby straight last year, but that was his first 80 of the year and he managed to get through really well."

The Rebels have precious time to reflect on their victory before they host the Brumbies next Friday at AAMI Park at 7:40pm.

Pete Fairbairn is the Senior Rebels Writer and was at AAMI Park for the Rebels’ first Super Rugby game of the season, against the Western Force.

Hoop Zone: Barking Abbey '2 out of 3 Ain't Bad'

Thank you to Mark, Lloyd and the team at Barking Abbey for the match reports and pictures.

Barking Abbey 77 Greenwich Titans 67

Barking Abbey made it a perfect weekend in VCars.co.uk Division 4 after beating Greenwich Titans 77-67 on Sunday afternoon.

For the second straight game, a strong fourth quarter secured BA the victory as they remain atop of the Division 4 South East conference.

“We shot the ball well as a team tonight,” said head coach Frank Holloway after the game. “We were able to play everyone in this game, that was important to me. All week our players put the time in during practice, they need to be rewarded.”

Niall Hegarty had 20 points to lead BA, with Roy Downey finishing with 17 and Daniel Ogunseye adding 17.

BA will now take on Brentwood Fire next Saturday at home (Barking Abbey Leisure Centre, 4:00pm tip).

Medway Park Crusaders 50 Barking Abbey 70

Barking Abbey secured a 20 point victory over Medway Park Crusaders, 70-50, on Saturday afternoon, avenging a loss to them earlier in the VCars.co.uk Division 4 season.

Playing away from home at Medway, the game remained close until a 20-7 fourth quarter propelled BA to the win.

“I am really happy with the win,” said head coach Frank Holloway after the game. “Even though we only had 8 players our guys played very aggressive tonight.

“We let the first game slip away from us at Barking earlier in the year, and the players remembered that.”
David Akibo led BA with 25 points, Niall Hegarty added 14 and Ronan O’Sullivan 10. There will be little time for rest as the team take on Greenwich Titans on Sunday afternoon.


Sheffield Hatters 74 Barking Abbey Women 60

Barking Abbey Senior Women fell to just their second loss of VCars.co.uk Division 1 season, 74-60, to City of Sheffield Hatters on Saturday in Sheffield.

Both losses have come against league leaders Sheffield, who remain undefeated on the season. BA remain in second place in the league table, with an 8-2 record.

“With the disruption to our prep I was happy with our performance,” said head coach Mark Clark after the game. “Azania and Roz playing well is what they, and I, expect. The learning experience for me and the young players will help in preparing for the run in as we try and secure second place in the league”

Ros Mason scored 22 points to pace BA, with Azania Stewart finishing with 20 against a number of her GB teammates.

BA will look to bounce back on Saturday as they return home to face Sevenoaks Suns (6:00pm tip).

The Dark Art: Hoppa Surfs to Plymouth Albion

Hoppa, our very own Silver Surfer, washed up in Devonport, to 'watch' Plymouth Albion. Ok sat in his armchair, with a large Malt and Stilton, in the warmth of his own castle, hovering his mouse.

Thanks to Plymouth Albion for the match report and Beechwood for the photo.

Albion after being up in Yorkshire for their last two games, the team looked happy to be back in Devonport.

The sun was shining over brickfields and the pitch was looking good, considering how much rain we have had over the last few months.

Nat Saumi made only two changes to the team he had initially named on Friday day time. Lock Brett Beukeboom was forced out with an infection and he was replaced by Rupeni Nasiga, while Lloyd Fairbrother was passed fit and came in for David Morton. Wayne Sprangle was named on the bench for Beukeboom

Bedford made a great start and took the lead after less than three minutes into the game. From a penalty the Blues went for the corner and hooker Neil Cochrane scored from a catch-and-drive move from the line-out. James Pritchard converted to make it 7-0.

Bedford could have doubled their lead six minutes later. Mark Atkinson made a good break and put James Stephenson away down the wing. But Tom Bowen managed to get his hands on the ball before being turned over just inside Albion’s 22.

And with the last kick of the half, Roberts kicked a penalty to reduce the gap to just four points at the break with a penalty.

Half time score was Albion 10-14 Bedford.

Tries from Harrison Tovey and Ruari Cushion had Albion in front, but Josh Bassett got one back for the visitors.

Darren Veenendaal's try had Blues ahead then Aaron Carpenter went over for Albion, but Roberts missed the extras.

The final score ended Albion 28-29 Bedford.


Albion could have stolen the game with the last kick of the game, but Paul Roberts attempt went slightly right of the upright.

However the West Country side will again be happy to come away with two bonus points, this gives them a 12 point cushion from bottom side Doncaster.

Albion has now narrowly lost their last three Championship matches by a combined total of just six points.
Next week the Albion players have a well deserved week off from Rugby, I’m sure all the players will embrace the time away.

Albion are next playing against Nottingham away on Sunday 3^rd March, KO 3pm. Please get in contact with the travel club if you would like to come and watch the lads?

Albion: Rhodri McAtee, Lewis Waner, Toby Howley-Berridge, Tom Bowen, Paul Roberts, Ruairi Cushion (capt), Jack Andrew, Jon Vickers, Lloyd Fairbrother, Rupeni Nasiga, Harrison Tovey, Sean-Michael Stephen, Sam Hocking, Aaron Carpenter. Reps: Paul Rowley, Paul Bailey, Ben Rogers, David Morton, Tom Cowan-Dickie, Wayne Sprangle, Sam Matavesi.

Bedford: James Pritchard, James Stephenson, Brendon Burke, Mark Atkinson, Josh Bassett, Jake Sharp, Ricky Reeves, Neil Cochrane, Phil Boulton, Paul Tupai, Mike Howard, Greg Gillanders, Darren Fox, Don Barrell. Reps: Chris Locke, Dan Seal, Ben Gulliver, Tom Armes, Darryl Veenedaal, Myles Dorrian, Ollie Dodge.

Referee: Steve Lee (RFU)

Front Row: Aviva Premiership Round 15 Review

Thank you to our friends at Aviva Premiership for the following post and photo.

 

Sale Sharks director of rugby Steve Diamond was refusing to get carried away despite his side taking another step towards avoiding relegation from the Aviva Premiership on Sunday.

The Sharks have shown more fight since the turn of the year and arrived at London Welsh's Kassam Stadium having with two wins from their last three Aviva Premiership games.
The Exiles on the other hand had lost five straight and this became six courtesy of Sharks replacement Nick Macleod knocking over a penalty eight minutes from time for a narrow 26-25 win.

Sale remain bottom but are now just one point behind London Irish with London Welsh only three points further ahead, but Diamond knows there is still a long way to go.

"It was always going to be that sort of game and them picking Henson at ten meant he was always going to be a real threat, as he proved during the game," he said.

"London Welsh are a good side and we'd thought we had got away just after half-time and they just came straight back with a penalty and then scored a try.

"So, like ourselves, they won't go without points until the end of the season.

"This is a fourth win on the trot for us - the momentum from the last three games has helped us and we've remained injury-free to a large extent.

"We're still bottom of the league and we've got Harlequins and Leicester coming up in the next fortnight so we've got a job on our hands.

"We are by no means out of the mire and we've just got to keep doing what we're doing and pick up points."

Elsewhere on Sunday London Wasps held on to fourth spot despite a late Gloucester Rugby fight back at Adams Park.

Dan Robson and Mike Tindall crossed for the Cherry and Whites but saw Ashley Johnson, Christian Wade and Billy Vunipola scores put the hosts in control.

But just as it looked as though Wasps were cruising to victory Ryan Mills and Charlie Sharples crossed late on to make for a nervy finish, although Dai Young's side held on for a 33-29 win.

On Saturday, life at Allianz Park in the Aviva Premiership got off to the dream start for Saracens and England prop Mako Vunipola - who proved his international credentials against Exeter Chiefs according to director of rugby Mark McCall.

The giant prop was released from Six Nations duty by Red Rose head coach Stuart Lancaster and crossed the whitewash on 53 and 70 minutes.

That, added to scores from Charlie Hodgson and Matt Stevens, kept the pressure on their title-chasing rivals with a 31-11 win over Chiefs, a result which proved they could make the transition to their new artificial pitch seamlessly.

"I thought Mako Vunipola was magnificent," he said. "He wasn't just good in the loose where he is as good as anybody, he was good in the tight as well. He scrummaged really well. He's already a special player.
"The pitch feels good and there is a temptation in certain situations where you might kick where it feels right to run."

Sarries though remain in second place in the Aviva Premiership table after Harlequins triumphed 25-21 over Leicester Tigers, with Quins director of rugby Conor O'Shea lauding another England hopeful Danny Care.
Scrum-half Care's brilliant individual try, in which he ran half the length of the field, proved the difference despite Toby Flood's 16-point haul and Adam Thompstone's try.

"The right reaction was to come back and perform for your club, that was world class out there, you're fortunate to be able to watch those types of moments," said O'Shea, who also saw Ben Botica kick 20 points

"From Stuart's [Lancaster] point of view he must be thinking 'I've got Ben Youngs and Danny Care, how lucky am I?'.

"From my point of view we love having him back. He got stuck in and got physical; looking at the team, we were physical, we were magnificent."

Elsewhere on Saturday Bath Rugby made it six wins on the spin - keeping alive their Aviva Premiership play-off charge with a 40-16 bonus-point win against London Irish.

Injuries to Stephen Donald and skipper Francois Louw dampened Bath's celebrations somewhat but a penalty try, followed by Nick Abendanon, Nathan Catt and Anthony Perenise tries, was enough for Bath to take the points.

Meanwhile Northampton Saints got back to winning ways with a 27-18 victory over Worcester Warriors, who were condemned to their fourth straight Aviva Premiership defeat.

It was all about the boot in the first half as fly-halves Andy Goode and Stephen Myler kicked the only points, Goode giving the hosts a three-point lead.

But Samu Manoa's 66th-minute effort and a late penalty try assured victory for the Saints who remain in the hunt for a top four berth.

XV News: Lee Mears retires from rugby due to Heart Problem.

The following report supplied, with thanks, by our friends at BBC Sport. Sports Pulse and SportTrades support C-R-Y Cardiac Risk in the Young.

Bath and former England hooker Lee Mears has been forced to retire from rugby because of a heart problem.

The 33-year-old has spent 16 years at The Rec, making 268 appearances, and has been capped 42 times for his country.

Mears, who has not played a league game since January, was advised to quit after an abnormality was detected on a cardiac screening.

"It's mixed emotions at the moment," Mears told BBC Radio Bristol.

“Mearsy is a legend, pure and simple. His retirement will be felt by all of us at the club”

Bath head coach Gary Gold

"But you've got to be positive and think about the things I've achieved. I'm smiling, even though it's a sad day.

"I knew it was going to come and I'm so glad it's come at the end, rather than the middle or the beginning."
Torquay-born Mears made his Premiership debut for Bath against Saracens in March 1999 and established himself as first-choice hooker during the 2005-06 season.

He represented England through the age groups and, after a successful stint with the Saxons in 2005 and 2006 Churchill Cups, earned his first full cap in November 2005.

Mears was also included in the British and Irish Lions squad for the tour of South Africa in 2009 and started the first Test in Durban.

He announced his decision to retire from international duty in June, and his last game for Bath came in the 19-16 win against Agen in the Amlin Cup on 12 January.

Mears confirmed the heart issue was discovered during a routine check last month: "I had an unusual ECG [Electrocardiography] and with further tests it was revealed.

Mears' career in numbers

• 16 years at Bath
• 177 Premiership appearances
• 10 Premiership tries
• 42 England caps

"It's something that can happen with elite athletes and it can cause and unusual arrhythmia through a thickening of the heart walls.

"It was a bit of a shock but now it's onwards and upwards."

Head coach Gary Gold added: "Mearsy is a legend, pure and simple. His retirement will be felt by all of us at the club, and also by the supporters who have cheered him on over the years.

"The only thing that matters is that he is healthy, and if that means he stops playing, then that's the way it has to be. He will be missed, but we will always welcome him back with open arms.

"This is his club, and it always will be. We send him off with real affection and gratitude."

The Dark Art: Hoppa travels to Bedford for the Jersey Boys.

Hoppa was kept home due to adverse weather and a rather splendid malt. As he sat and surfed, he ended up with the blues. So with thanks to the guys at Bedford Blues, for the following report and photo.

Bedford Blues 38 Jersey 21

Bedford Blues put their past two league defeats behind them as the picked up an important bonus point win over a dogged Jersey on Saturday afternoon.

Anyone who visited St Peter earlier in the season will know that the Islanders never give up until the end and that was certainly the case at Goldington Road with the score standing at 26-16 with eight minutes remaining. But Bedford had enough in the tank to dot down twice more although the visitors did score a consolation deep in stoppage time.

It was a frantic start to the game with James Pritchard and former Blues man Ross Broadfoot exchanging penalties with the former leading 2-3 (or 6-9) after 32 minutes. Bedford then scored the first of their five tries when the lineout ball was collected and the forwards marched on with Neil Cochrane scoring from the back of the maul. Pritchard then rounded the half off with his third penalty of the afternoon to make it 14-9 after Chris Levesley was binned for not releasing a tackle.

The second half started with Bedford on the ascendancy and it didn’t take long for Jake Sharp to score. Broadfoot failed to find touch and the ball was returned through Josh Bassett and James Stephenson  before the number ten took over to score in the corner but it was a little too wide for Pritchard.

Jersey were back to a full complement but they could do nothing when Bedford’s forwards carried out a carbon copy of the opening try and Cochrane popped up again with the ball but this time Pritchard did convert to make it 26-9.

Jersey still had a fighting chance and they used the Goldington Slope to their advantage in the 66th minute when number eight Guy Thompson played in Nicky Griffiths to cross the whitewash and Broadfoot added the extras.

But the revival didn’t last long. Another Bedford lineout saw Luke Baldwin break with pace from the back and he played in Mark Atkinson for the score which Pritchard converted. Five minutes after that and it was game, set and match as Ben Gulliver found himself on the right wing and played in by the stand-in half back combination of Phil Boulton and Mike Howard to make it 38-16. Thompon got a try deep into stoppage time which was unconverted but it made little difference as Bedford moved back into second place in the Championship.

Front Row. Aviva Premiership Week 14 Review.

Round up of the action from week 14 of the Aviva Premiership. The following post and photo supplied by our friends at Aviva Premiership. Aviva for all your insurance needs.

London Wasps finally broke their six-year losing streak at the Twickenham Stoop with a thrilling 17-16 victory over Harlequins as they closed the gap on the Aviva Premiership leaders.

Tries from Tom Varndell and Christian Wade had put Wasps in the driving seat but champions Harlequins roared back and Matt Hopper's try brought them into contention.

Fly-half Nick Evans had a chance to extend their unbeaten run to 11 games with a 78th minute penalty but the normally ice cool Kiwi failed from the tee to hand Wasps the points.

Wasps director of rugby Dai Young admitted the form of Varndell and Wade meant they both in the frame for an England call up.

"We're really pleased with what they do for us, they are a big threat for us and they have shown time and time again that if they are given space and given enough ball they are going to cause any team problems," he said.

"We're blessed in England that we have a lot of wingers and I wouldn't want to do Stuart's [Lancaster] job for him. It is hard enough selecting any team but they have certainly got to be keeping the pressure on.
"We have shown some good form at home but we have struggled away and they don't get much tougher than coming to the Stoop so this win should give us a lot of belief."

A try in each half for from Jonny May was enough to secure Gloucester Rugby a rare away win as they surprised Northampton Saints 27-11 at Franklin's Gardens.

Roob Cook added 17 points from the kicking tee as Gloucester took points off their rivals for a top four Aviva Premiership finish - earning their first away win in the league since September.

Gloucester director of rugby Nigel Davies insisted it was the Cherry & Whites improved discipline that had helped them secure victory.

"Discipline was always going to be huge for us. In the past three games we'd given away 18 penalties, which is not good enough, and if you come here and do that you're not going to get anything out of the game," said Davies.

"We were very disciplined and very accurate in the contact areas as well, which maintains your discipline and allows you to be effective in that area.

"And having Jonny May back makes the difference. He's the type of player who, in a tight arm wrestle of a game, can change how it looks and that's what he did."

Leicester boss Richard Cockerill played down the performance of England flanker Tom Croft after the Tigers mauled London Welsh to keep up their relentless surge towards the end-of-season play-offs.
Croft, who suffered a broken neck in an Aviva Premiership clash with Harlequins' last April after miss-timing a tackle on former England colleague Nick Easter, was making only his third start after returning to full fitness.

George Ford kicked 13 points for Leicester against London Welsh, with Adam Thompstone scoring a first-half try, with Niall Morris and Dan Bowden also touching down for the Tigers after the break, while Gordon Ross scored 12 points for the Exiles.

"Tom Croft is sharp, he's a quality player, we know his abilities in the loose but he's not played much in eight months but he'll get better," said Cockerill.

"He's got pace and at times we need that to get us out of some sticky moments but it's all positive for me but we do need to be patient."

Meanwhile, Bath Rugby boss Gary Gold believes his side are a match for anyone on their day after a free-flowing performance that saw them run in five tries against Worcester Warriors.

Gold's men have thrilled fans at the Rec in recent weeks with a brand of running rugby that has brought them five wins in a row in all competitions, including this 32-9 win over the Warriors.

The victory was Bath's fifth in a row, and they wasted no time in building on last weekend's 32-5 demolition of Gloucester Rugby in the LV=Cup.

"We achieved the win with a bit of style in the end, but I thought we made heavy weather of it in the first half, which was disappointing," said Gold.

London Irish caused the shock of the day as they defeated Saracens 29-16.

Scores from Shane Geraghty and Ofisa Treviranus, plus 19 points from the boot of Tom Homer, saw Irish make it back-to-back Aviva Premiership wins and inflict a first defeat in nine games on Sarries.

Victory leaves Smith's side five points clear of bottom-club Sale but the Exiles boss is in under no illusions as to how much hard graft awaits.

"I didn't watch last night's game as I couldn't - it would have given me too many butterflies. I checked the result but didn't refer to it once when speaking to the boys," he said.

"We are looking ahead and are aiming at 16 points from our last eight games with five of those at home. However we must not look too far ahead."

SportTrades Projects inc, Aston Villa, JonJo O'Neil Racing and much more

This is a SportTrades update, contact mediateam@sporttrades.co.uk for details of every project mentioned in the following post. Told you we've been busy!

We have continued to work on many Community Sporting Projects for our clients, also  Sponsorships searches for JonJo O'Neil Racing and East London Royals ( a new BBL franchise next season).

We have had a number of additions to our portfolio. A former champion athlete is searching funding for a school athletics programme. The project is supported by a number of Team GB  Olympic medal winners.

Aston Villa have approached us to search for a main sponsor for next season. They are looking for a deal that will be valid for 2 seasons.  In terms of relative Premiership sponsorship terms,  it is a fantastic and competitive price.  It is also realistic if the unthinkable happens. It won't, Villa will be still in the Premiership next season.

Staying with football, we have been approached by a Chinese Soccer School to look for for sponsorship. The organisation has 2 schools in China, currently the coaching is supplied by 2 high profile premiership clubs. The schools themselves are run by former professionals with Premier League Clubs. A fantastic opportunity for a business wanting to break into the fastest growing economy. 

We will have some more opportunities within the next week including sponsorship of a 'one off' game in Dubai involving a top Premier  League Club.

For more information about all the projects mentioned in this post contact us at mediateam@sporttrades.co.uk

Front Row: Hoppa Sat Navs to Ealing Trailfinders

Thank you to the guys at Trailfinders for the following report and photo.  Hoppa silver surfed the internet and found this game to his liking. He should be out and about again next week, instead of the warmth of his home.

As you know our coverage of Rugby at present comes under the title of Front Row, so a few changes. Front Row will remain as the working title for the Premiership and L.V Cup updates. XV News: will be for extra reports throughout the season regarding Rugby Union. Rebels 3 will return for the Super Rugby season, following Melbourne Rebels. What about Hoppa? Next week his post will be renamed The Dark Art, he was in a previous life a Hooker (no laughing at the back) and goings on in the scrum are often referred to as the dark art. Hoppa's choice, he likes to feel an authority on the subject (don't start him off).

Ealing Trailfinders 21 v 14 Blackheath

Ealing Trailfinders’ clinical edge proved too much for Blackheath as the league leaders clinched an absorbing derby 21-14 at Vallis Way.

Due to the recent adverse weather conditions, Ealing Trailfinders had not played since their 25-22 victory against Tynedale on 12th January and the fans were treated to a typically attritional derby clash. The opening exchanges were evenly contested as both sides combined an efficient kicking game strategy with forward runners repeatedly rampaging over the gain-line. Ealing Trailfinders centre Thomas Wheatcroft This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and Blackheath pivot Rory Teague exchanged penalties to level the scores at 6-6 with a quarter of the game played. Ealing Trailfinders forwards experienced contrasting fortunes in their set-pieces. In the scrum the hosts had the edge over their London counterparts, as the Blackheath pack was dismantled with relative ease on a regular basis. However, the Ealing Trailfinders line-out performed dismally, reducing their electric back-line to living off scraps. The clinical nature of Ealing Trailfinders attacking prowess was fully evident in their first try of the game. A passage of play from the home side lured Blackheath numbers into the ruck before a jinking break and perfectly-timed pass by Peter Hodgkinson found Wheatcroft , whose deft grubber-kick into space was collected and scored by Phil Chesters. Wheatcroft’s third successful penalty sent Ealing Trailfinders into a 14-6 interval lead.

As expected, Blackheath surfaced from the break with renewed energy in their attempt to reduce the 8-point deficit. Despite securing a large proportion of the territorial advantage, the visitors lacked the necessary penetration in the final third of the field. Ealing Trailfinders defence, particularly against Blackheath’s line-out drives, stood firm and continually forced them back. With less than a quarter of the game remaining, Teague’s third penalty of the game reduced the arrears to 14-9 and signalled a potentially thrilling finale to the derby. However, Blackheath’s optimism quickly dissipated when Ealing Trailfinders’ second try all but secured the victory. A succession of close quarter pick and drives, which proved to be a successful weapon in Ealing Trailfinders attacking arsenal all afternoon, resulted in replacement hooker Jon Moyce sneaking over to score. Wheatcroft’s conversion sent the home side into a 21-9 lead with 8 minutes remaining. Blackheath refused to lie down and managed to score a consolation try through winger Liam Gibson that provided them with the losing bonus point.

It is back to back London derby home games for Ealing Trailfinders 1st XV as Richmond come to Vallis Way to play the rescheduled fixture from the 19th January this Saturday. It is a 3pm KO on Saturday so get down and show your support.

We've missed you! Blog Update

Sorry we've been away for a few days. We have been updating our systems and the day job has been a bit hectic, more on that later.

We will be changing the blog format in stages, over the next few weeks. Sorry if this delays postings onto the blog. It will be all be worth it in the end. The new look Sports Pulse will launch in full on 8th April. Next week we will be posting blogs on Wednesday only. The following two weeks will be normal service (I know - whats that?).

We will be out of service for 10 days during March, days will be announced later this month. The site will close from 4th April until the new site launch on the 8th April. Sorry for the inconvenience while we are working to improve the blog - We promise you will like it.

SportTrades Media Team.


If you have any sport stories you want to share please send, if possible with a photo, to sportspulse@sporttrades.co.uk

Sol y Futbol: Lanzarote suffer defeat in Gran Canaria

Sorry there has been a break in posts, all will be explained. Rest assured Mr Lane has been present all the way through. We will bring you up too speed with Lanzarote's season next week. Back on track, the boys visited Gran Canaria last weekend. Thanks to Ian for the following post and photo.

LAS PALMAS B 2 LANZAROTE 1



It’s been a good year for the Gran Canarian club. Their first team have gone from bottom of Segunda A (The Championship) to within two points of a playoff spot to reach Spain’s Golden league, the Primera Division.

The B side has been flying all season and with just three defeats they lead the Tercera Division by four points. Obviously this game was never going to be easy for the Rojillos but the Lanzarote side were only seven minutes away from taking a point.

Manager Adolfo Pérez brought back captain Jotha after serving his four match suspension and gave first starts to Marcos Cabrera and Jamie Macphee who lined up alongside his brother Ryan. There was no place for Lanzarote´s in form striker and leading scorer Rosmen.

The home side dominated possession and went into a deserved 1-0 lead on the half hour when striker Cristian Herrera beat Lanzarote keeper in a one on one situation.

The Rojillos were on the back foot but grabbed a lifeline two minutes before the break when Lanzarote winger Toñito was brought down by a defender and the Ref awarded a spot kick. Toñito dusted himself off and made no mistake with the penalty taking his side into the half time break with the score level at 1-1.

The pace of the game dropped in the second period but as time drew on the Gran Canarian side increased the tempo but were thwarted with an organised Rojillo defence. The winning goal came in the 83rd minute with Cristian Herrera with another good strike for his and his team’s second goal of the match.

With the score at 2-1 Lanzarote had no choice but to venture forward in search of an equaliser. Ex Lanzarote keeper Alexander wasn’t tested as the Las Palmas side eased to victory.

Lanzarote drop a spot and are now in 13th position. The next home match has been changed. The game versus Fuerteventura side CD Corralejo was scheduled for Sunday but will now be played on Saturday 9th Feb at 4pm.

GOALS 1-0 min 29 Cristian Herrera 1-1 min 43 Toñito (penalty) 2-1 min 83 Cristian Herrera

Get Your Kit On, Wigan Warriors 2013 Shirt

Thank you to our friends at www.superleaguefans.co.uk for the following post and Wigan Warriors for the photo. Wigan Warriors new Home Kit for the 2013 season which will see the Club look to expand on its trophy success of the last three seasons. The new shirt continues the tradition of the famous cherry-and-white hoops but this year with a simple bold hoop design which takes its inspiration from the 1992 design and features new detailing in the form of a new collar line. The shirt will be accompanied this year by cherry shorts and white socks featuring a single cherry turnover. The shirt is designed and produced by Australian kit manufactures ISC and will again display the logo of Main Club Sponsor Applicado-FS across the chest. Partners Magners Irish Cider will have their logo located on the right shoulder with new partners Ainscough Crane Hire on the left shoulder. Caliper Engineering are new rear collar sponsor while JK Guest will continue on the top reverse of the shirt with Numech on the base of the back of the shirt. The Short Sponsors for 2013 will include once more Maximuscle and Pavertec, the latter having moved to the front of the shorts. Commenting, Wigan Warriors Head Coach Shaun Wane said: "I am really pleased with the new design which continues the traditional look of our home Club Colours. I'm sure that it will be a hit with our fans." Adult home shirts remain priced at £47, Juniors £35 and Toddlers at £28 Source: wiganwarriors.com Photo credit: wiganwarriors.com

SportTrades on Facebook - join us

We are pleased to announce our new and improved page on FaceBook. Log onto FaceBook and search for SportTrades or follow the link below and join us.

SportTrades, covering sport from all sides.  Our new look website is finally ready and will go live end of January. http://www.facebook.com/pages/SportTrades/447336475320260

Get Your Kit On: Hull KR 2013 new kit

The back end of 2012 saw a number of Rugby League, Super League clubs unveil their new kits for 2013 season. With the help of our friends from www.superleaguefans.com we catch up with the new kits.

The Robins have unveiled their home and away kits for the 2013 Super League season.

Manufactured by Burrda Sport, the kits were unveiled tonight (Thursday) at a special launch event held on Savile Street in the city centre. Several members of the first team squad donned the kits and braved the freezing temperatures to strut their stuff on the catwalk in front of a large contingent of Robins’ supporters of all ages.

The home shirt is predominantly red and features the ‘three crowns’ of Hull logo which forms part of the club badge. Hirebase are once again the principle sponsor and sleeve sponsors with Teckno Developments (chest), City Health Care Partnership CIC (collar), East Yorkshire Shutters (back collar), KMS Facilities Group (upper back home shirt), Community Hub (upper back away shirt) and Hull College (lower back) also featuring on the home and away shirts.

In a change from last season, the home shorts are red and feature the logos of Ingrams Solicitors and Archbishop Sentamu Academy whilst the socks are white with red trim.

On their travels in 2013, the Robins will wear a navy blue strip with white and orange detail. Blue has proven to be a popular alternative colour with Rovers’ supporters in recent years and it’s anticipated that this season will be no different with the club and Burrda Sport having come up with an eye-catching design.

Robins’ skipper Michael Dobson likes the look of both kits and said:

“I think that both strips look very nice and I’m sure the fans will love them. From a players’ point of view, if you look good, you feel good, and all of the boys seem to be impressed with the kits.”

Adult shirts (XS-5XL) are priced at £46 as are ladies shirts (8-18), whilst children’s shirts (SB-XLB) are priced at £35. They’re now available from the club store on Savile Street and from the online store at www.hullkr.co.uk.

Barking and Dagenham Bulldogs, sign their first school partnership

East London Rugby League outfit, Barking and Dagenham Bulldogs, sign their first school partnership.

Paddy Crowley takes up the story.

The Bulldogs proud to have their first School Partnership with Brittons Academy, our local secondary school.

On Tuesday Brittons and the Bulldogs cemented our partnership which started the back of some great school coaching and development by the Broncos East London team, especially Ashley Greaves.

Due to their tireless enthusiasm shown to the Broncos team, Brittons who already have Rugby League on their Syllabus, were asked by the Bulldogs to be our first ever partner in a move that can only benefit both parties involved.

We are naturally delighted that they said yes, look forward to us both reaping many benefits and also look forward to Mr Halls first game over the summer!

Sol y Futbol. Lanzarote climb the table after win.

Our first visit for 2013 to Arrecife and the boys come up with a win. Ian reports, as Lanzarote climb to 12th

LANZAROTE  3   U.D. TIJARAFE   2

The Rojillos make it two wins on the bounce with British boy Ryan Macphee opening his account for Lanzarote with the opening goal from an eighth minute header.

Anything other than a win against second from bottom side U.D. Tijarafe would have been deemed as failure however the Conejeros (Locals) made heavy weather against a poor La Palma team.

In the opening stages Lanzarote looked as though they were going to ease to victory especially when striker Rosmen latched on to a mix up in the centre of defence where both centre backs collided with each other, this allowed the stand in captain to strike low at the Tijarafe goal. His effort was well saved by the La Palma keeper but the rebound fell to Ryan Macphee who kept his composure and nodded the ball home to score on his first full outing and give his side a 1-0 advantage.

This should have been the stepping stone to tear the opposition apart as Lanzarote were dominant however just short of the half hour mark and Tijarafe were level. An in swinging cross from the left looked harmless enough and it seemed as though the Lanzarote keeper was going to tip the ball over the bar, unfortunately the keeper with a name which must have summed up his feelings “Agoney”got too much hand on the ball which left an easy nod home for midfielder Alby to level the score at 1-1.

Two minutes later and a good pass from Toñito set striker Ryan Macphee on his way to goal. His strike from 12 yards was superbly tipped around the near post from the La Palma keeper. Moments later and a curling free kick from midfielder Juanca grazed the La Palma crossbar but the score remained level at the break.

Early in the second half and Toñito had a wonder opportunity to put the Rojillos ahead. The winger who found himself play a more central role in this match was clean through, as the keeper advanced, Toñito attempted to chip the ball over but his attempt went disastrously wrong as the ball fell straight into the arms of the delighted keeper.

In the 72^nd minute Juanca controlled the ball in the area and a defender nipped the ball away with his hand, the Ref had no hesitation in ordering a spot kick. Toñito fired home with ease sending Lanzarote into a 2-1 lead.

Five minutes later and a determined solo run from left back Taja produced a super goal as he brushed off two defenders and beat the keeper stroking the ball home to give his side breathing space with a 3-1 lead.
Full credit to the La Palma outfit as their heads did not drop. Three minutes from time and they ensured that the Rojillos were going to have a nervy ending to the match.

Right back Mauri did superbly beating Taja on the edge of the box and then pulled his pass back to Alby who neatly slotted the ball into the left hand corner leaving the Lanzarote keeper no chance.

The La Palma side threw players forward for the remaining few minutes but the Rojillos stood firm to claim all three points and move two places up the league table into 12^th spot.

Lanzarote have a tough away match next week against second placed Tenerife side Atlético Granadilla. The next home game is scheduled for Sunday 27^th January versus Tenerife B but please check time and confirmed date a few days before the match.

Hoop Zone: Barking Abbey U19's and Men with good win.

Thanks to our friends at Barking Abbey for the following post and photo.

Barking Abbey 68 London Westside 49

Despite a slow start, Barking Abbey came out on top with a 68-49 victory over London Westside II on Saturday evening in VCars.co.uk Division 4 action.

The game was tied at 13 after the opening period, but a 23-6 second quarter gave BA a lead they wouldn’t relinquish the rest of the way.

“We got there in the end,” said head coach Frank Holloway after the game. “We regrouped in the second quarter and knuckled down defensively to get the win.”

Nial Hegarty led BA with 16 points, Robinson Idehen added 12 on 6/8 shooting, whilst Roy Downey had an 11 point, 10 assist double double.

BA, who now stand at 9-1 atop of the South East conference, will now take on Ware Rebels on January 26 at home (4.00pm tip).

U19's hammer Canterbury

Barking Abbey had a blistering start to 2013 in the EB/BCS Under-19 Premier League, with a 91-15 rout over Canterbury High School on Wednesday afternoon.

BA never trailed, holding Canterbury to just 3 points in both the third and fourth quarters, in what was a total team effort.

“I thought we played very well defensively, we also shared the ball very well,” said head coach Frank Holloway after the game. “We had 26 assists for the night, any time you have that many assists…we just shared the ball and made each other better.”

Josh Steel had 18 points, Niall Hegarty and Robinson Idehen 13 each, whilst David Akibo added 10. Nine games into the season, BA stand at 7-2, at the top of Group 3.

The team will look to better their record on Wednesday 23rd January when they face Oaklands away.

Front Row: Hoppa at Fylde to watch win over Blaydon

Hoppa at Fylde, well to tell the truth a touch of grey surfing found a good report on the Fylde game. A bit cold for old Hoppa to be out and about. Thanks to Fylde for the report and Chris Farrow for the photo.

Fylde 23 Blaydon 19

Fylde out muscled Blaydon and earned a deserved victory over the 2nd placed side in National One at the Woodlands. There have been so many occasions in the past in which the North Easterners have beaten up a Fylde pack and disrupted their normal, open and flowing style of play - 10 wins in the 11 fixtures between the clubs. So it was fascinating to see the Fylde pack battle hard to gain marginal supremacy in a tight and hard fought game. After the game, Head Coach Mark Nelson gave his man of the match award to "the Fylde pack" which summed things up very well.

Both teams gave fine defensive performances and, in consequence, their respective attacks found it hard to find gaps and finish off the numerous promising running moves launched.

Blaydon are the form team in N1 and went into this game with eleven successive victories behind them. It's easy to see why given their strong, mobile forwards and plenty of pace in their backline. But put under acute pressure by the aggressive Fylde eight, they made numerous errors and their normally faultless kicking game didn't really work.

The game started with five minutes of continuous Fylde possession as they went through many phases, recycling the ball and looking for gaps in the Blaydon defence. But the first scrummage looked very ominous for the home side as they were pushed off their own ball in disarray. As it turned out, this was a one-off as Fylde got their set piece back in order and more or less achieved parity in subsequent scrummages against the excellent opposition & former Newcastle Falcons frontrow of Ward, Hall & Kilbraier. The lineouts were shaded by Fylde as hooker Jonny Roddam's throwing radar worked almost perfectly and they nicked some opposition ball.

With Blaydon's influential fly-half Andrew Baggett unusually missing a kickable early penalty, it wasn't until the 18th minute that the stalemate was broken. Fylde attacked deep in the Blaydon half and from a ruck 5m out from the line the opportunistic Paul Arnold picked up a loose ball and dived over for a try. Arnold was to have an excellent afternoon, always the 'go to' man for ball carrying and neat offloading. With normal goal kicker Chris Johnson on the bench, it was stand-in Ryan de la Harpe who took most of the kicking responsibility but the scrum-half hooked the attempted conversion well wide. 5-0 to Fylde.

It took Blaydon just three minutes to respond and they did so with the best move of the day. The pack secured good ball inside the Fylde half and they worked the ball swiftly down their left. Neat inter passing and pace near the touchline put in former Fylde & KGS player, Tommy Banks, and he outstripped the defence to score with aplomb. Baggett's conversion went wide so the scores were even. Blaydon's backline looked very dangerous in this phase of the game, frequently breaking the first Fylde tackle but somehow either a last defender saved the day or the visitors were let down by faulty handling. They also rather wasted good possession with some poor infield kicking by Andrew Baggett which merely allowed Fylde to counter attack through their speedy back three of Oli Brennand, Chris Briers & Olly Viney.

Fylde painstakingly worked their way back into the game and launched numerous attacks through backs and forwards. Scoring opportunities were rather spurned as either the last pass went astray or excellent tackling kept them out. Their best move of the half saw winger Oli Brennand receive the ball wide left in the 36th minute and he cut infield to shred the visitors' defence. As he was closed down by the final defender his overhead pass failed to find a supporting team mate who was tackled off the ball by a cynical defender. Referee Shane Lewis gave the penalty but rather generously spared the guilty player from a yellow card.
Justice was done when from the kick to the corner the Fylde eight launched a powerful driving maul which ended with Paul Arnold claiming his second touchdown amidst a pile of bodies. Once again the conversion attempt went awry but Fylde had a deserved 10-5 lead at the interval.

Fylde dominated the third quarter with almost constant possession inside the Blaydon half. In the 46th minute following numerous phases of Fylde possession the ball was moved left, Oli Brennand made space before passing inside to fullback Chris Briers who took the ball at pace through a gap in the defence and ploughed over the line with a couple of Blaydon players hanging on to him. Although rather a willowy build, Briers is immensely strong when in possession.

Fly-half Richard Kenyon now took over the goal kicking responsibilities but he had no better luck and it drifted wide of the posts. 15-5 to Fylde. It remained rather one way traffic as Fylde continued to dominate territory although finding as hard as ever to create scoring chances against the rock of Blaydon's defence. But in the 57th minute Blaydon committed an offence inside their own half and centre Scott Barrow kicked the penalty into the corner. From the subsequent lineout the Fylde pack once more launched a powerful maul and drove towards the Blaydon line. This time it was finished off by replacement prop Simon Griffiths who marked his return to the club with a try, and a bonus point scoring one at that. The conversion kick was missed once more but Fylde had established a clear 20-5 advantage.

But Blaydon

Fylde came back once more and pressurised Blaydon on their 22m line. A Blaydon defender interfered in a ruck in the 68th minute and Ryan de la Harpe converted a straightforward penalty chance in front of the posts for a 23-12 lead. Minutes later, there was a repeat but the penalty was from slightly further out. This time the kick sailed high but cannoned off a post back into play and was cleared.

Blaydon dominated the last ten minutes as they tried to rescue their long unbeaten record. In the 80th minute the North Easterners kicked a penalty to the corner and gave Fylde some of their own medicine with a good driving maul that ended with no 8 Jason Smithson last man up to claim the try. Baggett converted well and, very briefly, there was just four points in it. But Blaydon hadn't the time to launch another attack and Fylde claimed a deserved win.

The only troubling moment of the match for the home side was an injury to young flanker Ben Vernon who had a very good game. He suffered a bad strain to an ankle and was helped off the pitch in the 52nd minute to be replaced by Cameron Thompson. Everyone at the Club wishes him a speedy recovery.

With Ealing Trailfinders earning a close win at Tynedale, they stretched their lead at the top of the National One table to seven points with Blaydon maintaining 2nd place. Fylde move up two places to 7th. Their game at Sedgley Park next Saturday in an all Lancashire clash will be important for both clubs but particularly so for Sedgley who are struggling in 14th place, 12 points adrift of the 13th club Wharfedale.

FYLDE: 15 Chris Briers; 14 Olly Viney, 13 Stephen Briers, 12 Scott Barrow, 11 Oli Brennand; 10 Richard Kenyon, 9 Ryan de la Harpe; 1 Dan Birchall, 2 Jonny Roddam, 3 Peter Altham (Simon Griffiths 49), 4 Paul Arnold, 5 Roger Banks, 6 Evan Stewart, 7 Ben Vernon (Cameron Thompson 52), 8 Sam Beaumont.

Non-playing replacements: Tom Burtonwood, Martin Wallwork, Chris Johnson.

BLAYDON: 15 Nathan Bailey; 14 Tom Jeffrey (Gavin Painter 59), 13 Charles Incledon, 12 Tommy Banks, 11 Simon Barber; 10 Andrew Baggett, 9 Hall Charlton (Jonny Burn 58); 1 Robbie Kalbraier, 2 Matthew Hall (Nico Nyemba 63), 3 Micky Ward (Robbie Morris 63), 4 Chris