Week 7 - league 1 results round up 18.10.2014

Results Saturday 18th October 2014.

Blackheath                                 38         29          Cinderford

Coventry Rugby                         48         27         Richmond

Darlington Mowden Park         21         28         Hartpury College

Ealing Tfs                                     73          15        Macclesfield

Fylde                                             33         25        Old Albanian

Loughborough Students            36           8        Blaydon

Rosslyn Park                                 49         26       Wharfedale

Tynedale                                       24         20        Esher   

It has taken a few weeks but the list of the league’s top four sides namely Ealing Tfs, Fylde, Rosslyn Park and Coventry Rugby has a familiar ring to it. Another Saturday with some first half performances that should be hidden from prying eyes apart from Sports Psychologists, coupled with a few second half recoveries. For those budding sub-editors, it was a chance to dust off the smorgasbord of sporting mismatch clichés.    

The game at the Butts Park Arena lived up to expectations as a Coventry Rugby side took advantage of the excellent playing conditions to run in 5 first half tries over a Richmond side  who struggled to match the pace and direct running of the home backs. All credit to Richmond who came back strongly in the second half with two quick tries, but Coventry showed their increasing maturity to control the game with two further tries, in what was a hard fought but clean game-a credit to both sides and National League 1.The win put Coventry Rugby up to fourth place, their best place of the season so far.

Mismatch quotes were all in evidence as unbeaten leaders Ealing Tfs duly dispatched bottom, pointless and winless Macclesfield. Professionals against Amateurs, sums it up even if somewhat cruel. To be fair to the visitors they never gave up  and in an earlier life  they must have upset the god of fixtures with having to meet all of the expected top  sides in the first quarter of the season, giving them no time to acclimatise to this new league.

Third placed Fylde found the visit of Old Albanian a closer game than they expected with only one point separating the teams at half-time. A much better display by OA as it took two last quarter tries to seal the bonus point win for Fylde, although OA did manage a try bonus point themselves. Another try for winger Oli Brenand makes him joint leading try scorer on 9.

It was another case of deja-vu for Wharfedale  for the third game running they shipped too many tries in the first half, this time against Rosslyn Park allowing Park the try bonus point. Matters were evened up after the break with 3 tries apiece which at least gave Wharfedale their own try bonus point. Once again new signing from Worthing, centre Kiba Richards was influential helped by a brace of tries from back rower Hugo Ellis to keep Park within reach of Ealing.

Esher lost the chance to go fourth as they lost to a Tynedale side shorn of some of their Falcon players. Winger Sep Visser and flanker Joe Mills both scored a brace of tries each, giving them the bonus point by half-time. Former Tynedale player No 8 Harrison Collins scored a brace himself  one in each half, but Esher were held to just those by a determined home side, with Dale exchanging places with Esher into 6^th place.

Another team making a great start was Blackheath who rattled up their own try bonus point within 23 minutes giving them a half-time lead over Cinderford of 33-5. A second half fight-back by Cinderford with five tries in total gave them their own try bonus point, which suggests that they are a better side than their first 7 results suggest.  The win takes Blackheath up to the top half of the table.

Darlington Mowden Park crowned a poor week for them both off and on the field  as they lost to a last minute try to visitors Hartpury College, who confirmed their steady start to the season whilst Darlington have enough experience to recover from these early season  setbacks

The final game saw Loughborough Students find some form with a bonus point victory over a Blaydon side, who were struggling to cope with the power and finishing capabilities of the Students. With full-back Jack Pons and winger Will Edwards in fine form the Students closed Blaydon out in the second half as they gained their bonus point win. The loss drops Blaydon down to 10^th place.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

20^th October 2014.