National league 1 week 20 - round 20 results round up...

...Saturday 30th January 2016 including Coventry Rugby v Hull Ionians.

Results Week 20 Saturday 30th January 2016

Blackheath                                        21            15          Ampthill & District            crowd  813

Blaydon                                               3            10           Richmond                                        320

Cinderford                                           7           38           Hartpury College                            435

Coventry Rugby                               26           19            Hull Ionians                                   1117

Darlington Mowden Park              36           26             Wharfedale                                  1315      H

Esher                                                 15           30             Plymouth Albion                           554

Henley Hawks                                 25           19             Loughborough Students              405

Rosslyn Park                                    14          12              Fylde                                               275        L

Week 20 in a series of close games saw only Hartpury College able to get a winning try bonus point amongst the top 3, with only Henley Hawks of the bottom 6 sides able to achieve a win, although overall it was only Esher and Cinderford who were unable to pick up even a losing bonus point.

As expected leaders Richmond ran out winners at Blaydon but it was close run thing dominated by a strong wind. The visitors were able to score a try against the elements in the 1st half and then put the home side under tremendous pressure in the 2nd, as they eased to the win. A losing bonus point was earned by Blaydon, which was not enough to move them from 14th place.

It was a similar tight encounter at Blackheath in another hard fought battle with Ampthill & District, whose strong pack helped to give them a an early 12 nil lead, before a lack of discipline let the home side back in. Once again the home driving maul proved decisive in the 2nd half as Ampthill were reduced to 14 men. The win keeps Blackheath in 2nd place still 6 points behind Richmond, but with a game in hand.

The banker result of the day saw visitors Hartpury College ease to a bonus point win over bottom side Cinderford. With Gloucester scrum-half Ben Vellacott in fine form, Hartpury were soon 17 nil up, before a late 1st half fightback gave the home side some hope. Four second half tries sealed it for College leaving them level on points with Blackheath, but the loss leaves Cinderford surely too much to do to escape from the bottom of the pile.

Esher lost ground to the top 3 in a home defeat to Plymouth Albion, who now exchange places with them in the league in 4th place. A fast moving game saw Albion take advantage of home yellow cards, which Esher were not able to do. The Albion win, their 8th in 9 games lifts them to within 16 points of the leaders, a position which exceeds their early season expectations.

The highest scoring game before the highest league attendance of the day saw Darlington Mowden Park achieve their 10th successive win over relegation threatened Wharfedale. A red card after just 3 minutes didn’t help Dale’s cause  but they battled on to deserve a try bonus point. A good start by Park saw an early lead pulled back to 22-19 by a determined Wharfedale fightback, before 2 late tries sealed it for the home side. Worryingly this defeat leaves Dale still in 13th place and only 1 point above the relegation zone.

The lowest league crowd of the day saw 8th placed Rosslyn Park come from a 12-3 half-time deficit to defeat a Fylde side, whose 2 first half tries proved to be not enough. A Fylde yellow card in the 2nd half gave Park forward impetus to earn a penalty try. Good defence by Fylde with poor finishing by Park set the scene for the clash of 2 mid-table sides.

Another crowd of over a 1000 saw a Coventry Rugby side come from behind 5-14 at half-time to earn a bonus point win over a resilient Hull Ionians side. Playing with a gale force wind behind them Hull Ionians put Coventry under continual pressure, helped by some poor line kicking and the obligatory interception try. A strong second half fightback by the home side saw 3 further tries, as the wind now dropped to that of a gentle breeze. A deserved victory for Coventry but the loss leaves Ionians only 9 points from the relegation zone.

The final game saw 15th placed Henley Hawks give themselves a lifeline, as they came from behind to defeat a Loughborough Students side who are themselves are too close to danger. Trailing 3 -14 at half-time against a better organised Students side, the Hawks stirred their wings in the second half, led by fly-half Basil Strang whose 2 tries proved the difference. This win moves Henley Hawks to within 1 point from safety but brings the Students to within 7 points of the relegation zone.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

1st February2016.