National league 1 results round up week 23...

Saturday 15th February 2014

Results Saturday 15^th February 2014.

Coventry                  47           7              Worthing Raiders

Esher                        24          21             Loughborough Students

Hull Ionians             12         36              Blackheath

Richmond                17           8              Old Albanian

Rosslyn Park            16           7              Fylde

Tynedale                  26          29             Doncaster Knights

Cinderford    v   Wharfedale    postponed

Henley Hawks   v   Blaydon     postponed

Another somewhat truncated results list due to previous downpours but with most games played on Saturday the teams involved had to get used to heavy pitches and strong winds. With their closest challenger Fylde losing surely now it is a two horse race between Doncaster Knights and Rosslyn Park for promotion.

On a day of very few tries it was only Coventry Rugby in the top half of the league who managed a try scoring bonus point win. Another postponed game at Cinderford see them 4 games to catch up, and with the season now officially being run into May this will cause problems especially for those sides involved in the relegation battle, but more of this contentious issue when next week’s previews are done.

It was a close game at Tynedale as a last minute try gave leaders Doncaster Knights this win, albeit without a try bonus point. A struggling Doncaster pack had no answer at times to the home scrum and rolling maul and shipped two penalty tries as well a yellow cards. Another brace of tries from Tynedale centre Ben Frankland seemed to seal it but perhaps the measure of a good side is to win in adversity and so the leaders did so. The two points may yet prove invaluable to Tynedale who are now surely playing good enough rugby to survive relegation.

What was billed as the tie of the round Rosslyn Park at home to Fylde, lived up as expected to being a tight affair. The best defence in the league meeting the second highest try scorers. Surely only one winner and so it proved to be so as Rosslyn Park seemed happy to allow their visitors plenty of possession, but then just mowed them down. A win that keeps Park on the coat-tails of the leaders but has now surely ended Fylde’s slim chances of catching the leaders.

Fourth placed Esher kept in touch with Fylde with a hard fought victory over Loughborough Students. Despite plenty of possession in the first half the home side could make no leeway and the Students speed and finishing saw them run in 3 unanswered tries. A re-invigorated Esher side took control in the second half with three unanswered tries of their own as the home pack took control. A win that brings Esher back to just 2 points behind Fylde in third place.

Another example of a pack taking control was at Coventry Rugby, as the home side dominated Worthing Raiders for the whole game. On a heavy pitch with a strong wind, Coventry  even playing against a strong wind in the first half were too powerful in all aspects of  their forwards games and they tightly controlled this game. The bonus point was earned early in the second half and as Worthing Raiders tired late on Coventry were able to expand their game with three late tries. A much changed Coventry side justified the changes with this 7 try demolition which went someway to avenge their earlier season away reverse. New signing South African lock Roan Van Heerden justified the admission charge alone with his 50m chase back and try saving tackle on the Worthing winger. A win that moves Coventry Rugby to 5^th place and just a bonus point win from 4^th but leaves the Raiders perilously close to an early return to National league 2 South.

It was a close affair at Richmond as their third consecutive win, this time over Old Albanian surely making them safe now from relegation. In the end it was the goal-kicking of fly-half Rob Kirby that proved decisive. A win that moves Richmond to one bonus point win from a top half place, a scenario which seemed  impossible a few weeks ago.

The final game, and how many times has this been said this season, involved bottom side Hull Ionians at home to Blackheath. With Blackheath now on a rich vein of winning form, the visitors played to their strengths of their dominant pack despite an early set back. Six tries in total with another obligatory brace from Dave Allen gave Blackheath in the end an easy win and stopped in their tracks any thought the bottom club could achieve the great escape.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

16^th February 2014.