We will bounce back

9:48am Thursday 15th May 2008

CREWE and Nantwich Steamers suffered a heavy opening day defeat to the German Exiles.

Life in the RL Merit League started with a tough examination against one of the title favourites at Legends, last Saturday.

It all fell apart in the final quarter as Exiles ran in six tries to add a convicing slant to the scoreline - 50-18.

However, coach Mark Rousedge was focusing on the positives, vowing his side will bounce back.

"There were many positives we can take from the first game," he said.

"They're one of the title favourites this year and they struggled with the power of our pack.

"However, defensively we are naive and this is something to work on in training."

They'll take some heart out of the way they competed before running out of Steam.

The Exiles made the perfect start as a well-excuted move broke the host's defensive line for a fifth-minute try.

But to their credit, the Steamers hit back inside two minutes.

Fast feet of Reece Burley put James Eardley through a hole to score under the posts for their first try of the season.

Burley stepped up to convert and bring the scores level.

The home pack continued to dominate both in attack and defence with great work from Simon Walters and Richard Smith.

It paid off when James Dudley went over for a fine try and Gareth Tones added the extras.

Unfortunately as the game wore on, the Steamers began to struggle with the pace of the game in hot conditions.

Experience counted as the Exiles took advantage, getting faster ball and using it out wide to stretch a tiring defence.

Those tactics worked as the visitors piled on points inside the last quarter of the game.

Stefan Coiley added a consolation try in the final play of the game and Tones added his second conversion to reduce the deficit.

Smith picked up the man-of-the-match-award.

The Steamers are back in action this Saturday.

Wigan Riversiders arrive at the Legends, KO 1pm.