Hopkins: We'll keep fighting for promotion

Sportsdesk • Published 10 Feb 2010 10:00 0 Comments

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BRACKNELL RFC head coach Ken Hopkins has vowed that his side will carry on fighting despite seeing their promotion hopes suffer a colosal blow last Saturday.

Hopkins felt events conspired against his side as they were beaten 23-8 by promotion rivals Old Albanians in a must-win National Three London clash.

The defeat sees Bracknell slip 15 points behind the St Albans outfit in the chase for second place. However, with two games in hand, Hopkins has said his side have not given up the ghost just yet.

He said: "We will do what you always have to do after a defeat. We will try to get back up and win our next game.

"It was obviously disappointing to lose what was a very big game for us, but it does not alter the way we approach the remainder of the season.

"We will still be going out to win every game and then you never know how things can change. There could be a fewmore twists and turns still to come.

"We still have 10 games left and there is no reason why we can't win every one of them.

"It is our job to put Old Albanians under as much pressure as possible and we know that if they slip up, we will still be in with a chance."

However, Hopkins admits that his side can have few complaints if they ultimately finish below Albanians, having lost to them twice this season.

He said: "Realistically, with the spending power that Jersey have compared to the rest of the division there was only ever going to be one promotion spot up for grabs.

"Our games against Old Albanians were always going to be big ones and they won home and away, so they will probablty feel they deserve to finish second now."

Hopkins was forced to shuffle his pack on Saturday as injury and unavailablility left Kenny Barry as the only available lock.

Graham Sparks and Nico Maybury gamely filled the gap in the second row, but the Bracknell coach felt the reshuffle tipped the balance in Albanians' favour.

He said: "Not to make excuses, but we really needed everything to go for us to win last Saturday and unfortunately things conspired against us.

"We were missing Jason Borcherds and Leo Bailey was injured which meant we only had one recognised second row.

"Our flanker Graham Sparks went in there, but then he got injured in the first half, which forced us to move our number eight Niko Maybury in there.

"We really missed his ball carrying in the back row and, to be honest, the Old Albanians are formidable up front and they made us pay."

In a tight first half only the kickers managed to make any impact on the scoreboard. Jervis Manupenu got Bracknell on the board with a penalty.

But Bracknell were guilty of wasting several other opportunities as they went in 6-3 behind at the break.

In the second half Albanians got on top and ran in two crucial tries in the first 15 minutes to swing the tie in their favour.

Matt Surman repsonded with a late consolation score for Bracknell, but it was not enough.

Hopkins added: "We were only three points behind at half-time and you could argue we could have been in front if we had taken our chances.

"At that point I felt very confident that we could go on to win the game, but Old Albanians came out and played very well in the second half.

"Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and admit that the better team won on the day. They were the better team in the second half and deserved to win."

Next up for Bracknell is a trip to mid-table Dorking, who lost to lowly Tring in their last runout two weeks ago and went down 32-14 in Bracknell in October.

Hopkins said: "Our win against them earlier in the season was actually easier than we expected it to be, but we are under no illusions about Saturday. We are away this time which always makes a difference and we know they are a good side.

"Our aim is to draw a line under last week and get back to winning ways."

* DESPITE Saturday's disappointing league defeat, Bracknell finished off the weekend on a high courtesy of a rampant win in the Berkshire Cup.

The Lill Hill boys destroyed National Three South West outfit Reading 78-8 to advance to the semi-finals of the county competition.

Hopkins said: "It was my first taste of the Berkshire Cup and I didn't really know what to expect.

"We played mostly our second team, with a few of the first team, but Reading played a complete second string so it was not much of a game as a spectacle.

"The two Hawaiian lads that came over recently both got a run-out and they were both very impressive.

"We scored 12 tries and it was nice to finish the weekend on a positive note after Saturday's disappointment."

* SOUTH African winger Warren Abrahams made his Bracknell debut as a second half replacement in Saturday's defeat against Old Albanians.

And coach Ken Hopkins has revealled that the speedster, who parted company with Redingensians three weeks ago, has already signed on for next season. He said: "Warren will be available for the next few weeks before flying back home to Stellenbosch.

"He has already signed on for next season, so he will be back with us in September.

"He is a good player and very quick, so we are delighted to add him to the squad."

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