National league 1 week 4 rugby results round up...

...Saturday 26th September 2015 including Richmond v Coventry Rugby.

Week 4 Results Saturday 26th September.

Ampthill & District                      14          14           Henley Hawks

Blackheath                                   23            7            Darlington Mowden Park

Hartpury College                        30           13            Esher

Hull Ionians                                 26           44            Rosslyn Park

Loughborough Students           35             7            Blaydon

Plymouth Albion                        31           24            Fylde

Richmond                                    31             7            Coventry Rugby

Wharfedale                                 27           33            Cinderford       

Week 4 saw Ampthill lose their 100% record although still unbeaten, and the two previously winless sides Loughborough Students and Cinderford broke their duck by winning.

A bonus point win for Rosslyn Park at Hull Ionians saw them to the top of the league being still unbeaten. A brace of tries from backrowers Ed Milne and Hugo Ellis proved the difference, a headline that is expected to be repeated through the season. There was a fightback in the second half by Hull Ionians but the game was settled by a Milne try and 2 late penalties. Park have set down a marker for the rest of the league and must be favourites for the title.

Previous leaders with a 100% record Ampthill & District somewhat surprisingly drew to fellow newcomers Henley Hawks. As the score-line suggests, somewhat of a scrappy affair full of penalties. Henley sealed a draw after a 2nd half yellow card for the home side let in lock Jake Albon for a late score.  The draw leaves Ampthill in 2nd place and just one point behind leaders Rosslyn Park.

Hartpury College made it three wins in a row with a home victory over Esher. Not at their best following their impressive win over Coventry as they faced a stubborn Esher side. Once again Hartpury could thank full-back Gareth Thompson for scoring all the points with 3 tries, 3 conversions and 3 penalties.. A deserved victory but they still lost out on a try bonus point. 

It was a third consecutive victory as well for Blackheath as Darlington Mowden Park were well beaten. With the home pack in control they were 20 nil ahead by half-time , but a scrappy 2nd half saw them unable to get the bonus point. Park are finding it difficult to settlein their 2nd season in NL1. This win takes Blackheath up to 4th place.

A sadly out of form Coventry Rugby were well beaten at Richmond as a powerful home pack put Coventry on the back foot for most of the first half. Constant pressure led to Coventry conceding 2 penalty tries and 3 yellow cards in the first 30 mins, despite Lespierre doing his best to make something out of nothing. A better second half with Lee-Everton on gave Coventry more possession but twice dropping the ball over the line cost Coventry even an undeserved losing bonus point. Coventry Rugby drop down to 6th place, now 7 points behind the leaders ,with Richmond up to 5th, which is close to their targeted top 4 finish.

Plymouth Albion made it two wins out of four with another home, this time win over Fylde. With the home side having to mainly rely on newcomers after relegation last season, they were leading 23-10 at half-time. Fylde did fight back in the second period but a yellow card for Fylde’s No 8 David Fairbrother, allowed Albion’s own No 8 Herbie Stupple to score the final try .

In one of the surprises of the day Cinderford travelled to Wharfedale and won. Recent recruit fly-half Callum Sheedy proved the difference with this goal-kicking being provided from a good platform by the Cinderford forwards. Dale were unable to convert only one of their 5 tries which proved the difference in the end as Cinderford got their first win of the season.

The final game saw another first win, this time for Loughborough Students at home to an out of form Blaydon side. Three first half tries set the Students on their way helped by a poor defensive display left the home side with a 22-7 half-time lead. This win allows the Students to leapfrog Blaydon at the bottom of the league. 

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby Press office

28th September.