National league 1 week 28 - round 28...
By Tom Little.
April 10 2014
Saturday 5th April 2014 results round up.
Results Week 28 - 5th April
Blackheath 27 10 Old Albanian
Doncaster Knights 57 17 Wharfedale
Esher 52 3 Hull Ionians
Fylde 42 22 Henley Hawks
Loughborough Students 22 19 Richmond
Rosslyn Park 32 10 Coventry Rugby
Tynedale 24 24 Cinderford
Worthing Raiders 24 32 Blaydon
The promotion battle continues at least for another week as both the top two recorded bonus point home wins although a win for Doncaster Knights coupled with a loss for Rosslyn Park next week, would see Doncaster home and dry with a game to spare.
The other end of the table sees Worthing Raiders with surely too much to do leaving a battle between Henley Hawks, Cinderford and possibly Loughborough Students for the one remaining spot.
Leaders Doncaster Knights put behind them their usual sluggish first half performance with even a deficit in the third quarter before a surge of 5 tries in the final quarter sealed it for them against their visitors Wharfedale.
No such first half problems by Rosslyn Park in their game against Coventry Rugby. An error strewn game by the visitors gave Park a head start as Coventry for some reason played a very loose game, against the best defence in the league. Too many marginal 50/50 passes and kicks just went to the fast breaking Rosslyn backs and too many missed tackles coupled with the efforts of the muscular home back row gave them an easy first half. Coventry never lived up to their pre match billing and although they did restrict Park to one second half try and a try of their own it was too little too late. Unless Coventry Rugby find much better form at home next week against Doncaster then the title race could be all over.
Worthing Raiders home loss to Blaydon has surely sealed their fate for an immediate return to National League 2.Once again the power of the Blaydon pack proved decisive to give them an early lead. The only glimmer for the home side was a late try bonus point but really too little too late for this season.
Another newcomer to this league Henley Hawks are also on the brink of relegation as they couldn’t cope with the late scoring spree by the Fylde backs, whose 3 tries in the last 10 minutes sealed it for them. This loss brings Henley back into the relegation zone and with Cinderford just above them with two games in hand surely too much for them to do. This Fylde win brings them back to just 3 points behind Coventry Rugby in their battle over third place.
A very convenient try bonus draw for both Tynedale and Cinderford has most likely saved both their skins, especially now that Cinderford are out of the relegation zone with still two games in hand over Henley Hawks. However it required a late home fight-back with the drawing try scored by scrum-half Greg Illingworth to share the points with relief all round.
A narrow home win by Loughborough Students over Richmond has moved them 7 points from danger, and unless they suffer a catastrophic loss of form in their two remaining games should prove safe, leaving just Worthing Raiders, Henley Hawks and Cinderford chasing to miss the final two relegation places.
A much changed Esher back division helped the team put behind them last week’s woes at Coventry, as they comprehensively beat bottom side Hull Ionians. Four tries in each half emphasized the difference in finishing, this win puts Esher back within sight of Fylde and Blaydon in their fight over 4th place.
The final game saw Blackheath with three tries within 6 minutes just before half-time effectively kill off the game as the home side once again proved how good they have become at home, in beating an Old Albanian side, whose second half performance was better but still couldn’t stop the home side’s bonus point win, which brought Blackheath into the top half of the table for the first time this season.
Tom Little
Coventry Rugby press office
6th April 2014.
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