5 POINTS FOR COV IN RAINY MANCHESTER

By James Roach
September 5 2006

The miserable conditions up north didn't dampen the spirits of those supporters who took the trip up the M6 as they watched their side get maximum points. An early lead thanks to a cross field kick from fly-half Ben Russell and an Apoua Stewart touch down meant Cov were to have the upper hand.

 

 

The miserable conditions up north didn't dampen the spirits of those supporters who took the trip up the M6 as they watched their side get maximum points against the team that got the double over the Midlands side last season.

 

An early lead, thanks to a cross field kick from fly-half Ben Russell and an Apoua Stewart touch down, meant Cov were to have the upper hand for at least 3 minutes when the Manchester based team hit back with a Geralt Evans try. The conversion came from the boot of dependable kicker Phil Jones and the scores were all square and 7-7.

 

The deadlock wasn’t to last very long when Jones penalised Cov when he slotted a penalty on 9 mins to put his team in front for the first and last time.

 

Mike Walls, who was causing the home team many problems with his quick mind, tapped a quick penalty close to the Park line and then fed the ball out wide where Tom Johnson was to score his first of two tries in the corner. Sadly Russell’s kicking was not up to the standard of the Northampton match and he missed the conversion.

 

By now the Cov forwards were piling on the pressure at the set piece and breakdown and this lead captain Will Johnson to the decision of kicking for the corner. The first attempt was denied with an infringement but the second attempt of a catch-and-drive on 23 minutes was successful as debutant Earlsdon boy Carl Rimmer emerged as the scorer. Again the try went unconverted.

 

Coventry thought that they would be lucky to go into the break leading but a great deal of pressure from the home team resorted in prop Niall Treston being sin binned for bringing down the maul. Park capitalized their one-man advantage and replicated Rimmer’s try with a push-over of their own, Fijian No 8 Saula Roko claiming the credit. Jones obliged and duly converted as the teams went into the break all square once again at 17-17.

 

Coventry emerged of the second half as the better team piling on the pressure and just as the team’s numbers were to be equalized with the return of Tom Johnson (sacrificed for a prop forward), Sedgley Park were to suffer as they went down to 14 men.

 

Walls was to be rewarded for his good form with a try of his own on 50 minutes to give Coventry the lead and the much deserved 4-try bonus point. The score was now 22-17.

 

Keen not to let their standards slip, Coventry favourite and Duracell Bunny boy Tom Johnson was to get his second try of the afternoon on 55 minutes.

 

The final score of the afternoon belonged to scrappy John O’Connor who had a great debut doing all the dirty work on the ground and winning many a turnover.

 

Final score 32-17 to the Midlands side.

 

 

 

Attendance: 842

Referee: Ashley Rowden

 

SEDGLEY PARK: De Jager, Koroinaulivou, Briers, Voortman, Roko, Jones, Leck (Albinson J 64), Evans (Roberts 68), Roddam (Jones M 68), Thomas (Gazzola 59), Swart, Norris, Newton, Ponton, Jope (Skurr 59), Livesey, Wilkinson.

COVENTRY: Stewart (Myles 73), Montague (Toft 67), Dixon, Geraghty, Johnson K, Russell, Walls (James 76), Rimmer (Wyn-Davies 67), Riswell, Treston (Brits 73), Tonkin, Rheeders, Johnson T (Campton 80), O’Connor (Venter 78), Johnson W.

 

 

Coventry -v- Earth Titans

@ Butts Park Arena

2:30pm National Division 1