National league 1 week 22 - Saturday 8th February 2014...

results round up including Blackheath v Coventry Rugby.

Results Week 22 - Round 22 8^th February.

Blackheath                    24          6      Coventry Rugby

Blaydon                         26        31     Richmond

Doncaster Knights       36        10     Henley Hawks

Fylde                              33          7     Esher

Wharfedale                     7        17    Hull Ionians

Worthing Raiders           0        44    Rosslyn Park

Loughborough  Students   v      Tynedale        postponed

Old Albanian                        v      Cinderford     postponed

A somewhat truncated Week 22 saw the status quo maintained with regulation bonus points wins for the top three sides, making promotion surely a two horse race or at least a two and a half one. However, the chasing pack of 4, Esher, Coventry, Blaydon and Wharfedale couldn’t manage a win between them, with three of these sides all losing to teams fighting to avoid relegation.

The statistics suggest that these four sides have  all accepted their fate of mid-table obscurity for another year, free from relegation or promotion, if so surely not the correct attitude to encourage long suffering supporters looking for a more positive end to the season.

However, the other end of the table saw an excellent win for bottom side Hull Ionians and get out of trouble wins for Blackheath and Richmond. At least still all to play for at this end of the table with no fewer than 8 sides still involved, although league newcomers Henley Hawks and Worthing Raiders must fear the worst.

Doncaster Knights duly despatched their visitors Henley Hawks, but only after a first half fright. Not for the first time this season Doncaster came strong in the second half with tries from the usual suspects leading try scorers Tyson Lewis and David (Matt) Clark. A justified win in the end but the loss leaves Henley Hawks only 2 points ahead of safety.

Rosslyn Park, still 7 points behind Doncaster, did what was expected with a bonus point win at Worthing Raiders. Already 25 nil up at half-time flanker and captain Hugo Ellis completed his hat-trick early in the second half, as Park cruised to a comfortable victory. Another loss by Worthing,  which leaves them just 4 points from safety.

In what was expected to be the tie of the round ended up something of a damp squib in both senses, as fourth placed Esher had no answer to Fylde’s running game. Leading by 21 nil at half-time Fylde’s home form provided the impetus to get their bonus point win, whilst the slump in Esher’s form was disappointing from one of the pre-season favourites for promotion.

Another side with variable form is Blaydon, whose narrow home loss to Richmond still lifted them to 6^th place above Coventry in light of their two bonus points. Yet at one stage it looked too easy for the north-easterners as they carved out an early lead. However Richmond kept on with their running game playing in a more open style to earn a late but deserved bonus point victory. A victory that moves Richmond clear of the relegation zone still with games in hand.

It was a similar story for another bottom half team as Blackheath beat Coventry Rugby on a heavy pitch and before gale force winds. Both defences stood firm as it never looked like any side would score tries by their own volition, and so it was as Coventry gifted three tries to their opponents with a mixture of charge-downs and chip aheads going astray. Coventry Rugby despite having more than a fair share of possession and even in the right areas never looked like scoring, with greater urgency and control coming from the home forwards. A win that takes Blackheath clear of the relegation area but leaves Coventry sadly out of form with their third loss in four games.

The final game saw the most surprising result, that of bottom club Hull Ionians winning at Wharfedale. Unhinded by fear Hull Ionians kept the home side out for the whole of the second half, a win that still leaves them favourites for relegation but provided the comfort of pride for themselves.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

9^th February 2014.