Coventry produce best performance of the season to gain sweet revenge on Blackheath - The Coventry Observer

Coventry produce best performance of the season to gain sweet revenge on Blackheath

Coventry Editorial 17th Jan, 2017   0

RUGBY UNION: REVENGE was on the cards for Coventry as they put memories of a 42-5 thumping at Blackheath earlier in the season behind them by beating their National League One rivals 42-5 at the Butts Park Arena on Saturday.

Coventry were taught a lesson at Blackheath back in September, but this time around Rowland Winter’s side produced one of their best performances of the season to defeat third-placed Blackheath, scoring no fewer than six tries along the way.

The host took the lead which was never to be lost on 18 minutes when Darrel Dyer ploughed his way over the line for Tony Fenner to convert, but Leo Fielding pulled three points back with a penalty kick.

Fenner edged Coventry in front with a penalty the lead was stretched further when hooker Scott Tolmie crossed for a 15-3 lead at half-time.




Any hopes of a Blackheath comeback were all but ended two minutes after the re-start Owain James pounced for his ninth try of the season as Coventry took control of the match.

Cliffie Hodgson, playing his 100th game for the club, played a key role in the fourth try with a neat chip which led to lock Josh Peters crossing on his debut and soon after the hosts were awarded a penalty try, which was converted by Will Maisey.


Blackheath tried to find a way through only to see hooker Kieron Scutt yellow carded which allowed Coventry to come back again to score a sixth and final try of the match through Tom Jubb which was converted by Maisey from close range.

“It was a huge performance,” said Coventry’s director of rugby Roland Winter. “It’s all based around the attitude of the boys – we talked a lot in the week about how Blackheath embarrassed us when we went to their place, we didn’t perform and we didn’t do ourselves justice.

“I said in my notes beforehand that Saturday was going to be a measure of how far we’ve come on as a group and developed as a team. The players didn’t need any motivation.

“This was a big statement. We want to get into the top group in the table and today’s a good start.

“It’s about taking a step back and recognising that this is a journey we’re on for the long run, we’re beginning to build step by step, and we can only do that by looking at how we turn things round from games like the one down there to Saturday which was probably our best performance of the season.

“We didn’t get rattled by their cheap shots early on, we put in a good, controlled, calm performance and we didn’t let them play.”

Next up for Coventry is a daunting trip to runaway leaders Hartpury College on Saturday.

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