Week Seven: A Return to Winning Ways

After a fortnight break, the Championship season resumed on Saturday afternoon with five scheduled matches.

First up was Cambridge versus Coventry with an early, 2pm, kick off.

Cov's squad had had plenty of time to reflect on their chastening home defeat at the hands of Hartpury, and with coach Alex Rae no doubt having read a few lines of the riot act over the intervening fourteen days, it was no surprise that the team came out of the traps looking for atonement.

The first half, then, certainly bore that mindset out, with three goals and a try* and therefore the bonus point secured before the break.

This was more like it, and a further score not far into the second stanza only underlined the visitors' dominance. Or did it?

Cambridge had other ideas, and lay seige, nibbling away at the lead - possibly aided by two yellows to a prop and a lock - pulling back two goals and a try themselves.

However, Cov held on for a much needed win going into Christmas, and a morale boost in time for the tricky encounter with a good Nottingham side on Boxing day.

Tries: Hutler, Ryan, Martin, Salt, Wand

Cons: Pellegrini (4)

Match points: 0-5

Attendance: 1183

Final Score: Cambridge 19-33 Coventry

*OK, I fancied being all traditional for a change. Bear with me...

Ampthill, usually so hard to beat on their own sand, didn't play to the script, conceding defeat to a nuggety Caldy side, who once again this season continue to surprise many pundits.

Caldy's forwards proved to be the difference on the day, and they took an early 7-0 lead, and never looked back, securing a priceless 21-26 (1-5) victory.

Attendance: 1258

Bedford, on fewer games than any other side in the top half so far (although that must be slightly tempered by the fact that four of their five ties have been played at Goldington Road) smoothly slipped deftly into fourth place just behind their visitors Nottingham.

The Archers will have gone into this one quietly confident given their record thus far, but seven try Blues were having none of it, and stretched away in the first half up the slope and into the wind. A determined effort from Nottingham saw them claw back some ground, but ultimately it was too little to overcome their opponents' lead and they had to settle for a try bonus in a 49-24 defeat.

Attendance: 2514

 Hartpury, on the crest of a wave, were made to fight until literally the last moment by London Scottish at the Alpas.

Scottish raced into a big lead and appeared to be out of sight at 7-31 at half-time. However, the home side mounted an astonishing fight-back, nilling their opponents in the second, and clinching an unlikely victory with a last gasp converted try to take a 5-2 win. Such a shame a few more didn't witness it.

Attendance: 743

League leaders Ealing entertained Cornish Pirates, and made heavy weather of a 12-0 lead well into the game. Sadly, that's where it ended as a Pirates player sustained a head injury requiring the on-duty ambulance. Due to the ensuing lack of medical cover, the game had to be abandoned, and we await further news as to arrangments for a replay or other resolution. Happily the player concerned appears to be making a satisfactory recovery. 

Table

Ealing: Played 6, Points 24

Doncaster: 6, 22

Nottingham: 7, 22

Bedford: 5, 19

Coventry: 6, 17

Ampthill: 6, 17

C. Pirates: 5, 16

Hartpury: 7, 16

Caldy: 5, 11

L. Scottish: 6, 7

Cambridge: 7, 4

Average Attendances

Coventry: 3048

Bedford: 2574

Doncaster: 2064

C. Pirates: 1337*

Caldy: 1268

Cambridge: 1192

Nottingham: 1143

Ealing: 1024

Ampthill: 884

L. Scottish: 799

Hartpury: 658

* Not including Week six. Please let me know if you have this!