Week 13 - The Round-up

Cov find their way and Ealing Trailfinders lead the way in a points-filled Championship weekend.  Another topsy-turvey round of the league that never stops giving.

Friday night saw the first game of round 13 as Doncaster Knights travelled to face Nottingham at Lady Bay.  Despite a turbulent week which saw the departure of DoR Steve Boden , rumoured to be about the funding difficulties in the Championship, the visitors secured a four points haul from the lowest scoring game, running out 20-14 winners.  Three tries to two for the winners and took them into second place ahead of the following day's fixtures. Att: 1039

Ealing Trailfinders at Cambridge was the next clash, not so much a clash as an away walkover, the title favourites romping to a 57-7 success. The win seemed to be due to their pack power, six of their nine tries coming from their forwards, with seven conversions from the evergreen, Billy Twelvetrees.  Att: 1309

The next game saw an attractive looking fixture with Bedford Blues travelling to a soggy Hartpury.  And so it proved. A last minute try from winger Louis Hillman-Cooper, converted by Harry Bazalgette, Bazalgette converted the five home tries with two penalties, his 16 points tally taking him to the top of the points chart. The visitors also scored five tries, Will Maisey weighed in with a try and an astonishing 123rd Bedford try for the remarkable Dean Adamson. Att: 1213.

At the RAG, London Scottish and Caldy fought out a 33-33 draw, Caldy's last minute Oliver Hearn try was converted with the last kick of the game by Joe Murray.  Caldy's forward dominance was evident yet again, four of their tries from the forwards.  Just the three home tries with Alec Lloyd-Seed keeping the hosts in contact with three conversions and five penalties as Caldy's indiscipline showed.  The lowest attendance of the weekend here, just 604 spectators.

And so to the BPA.  An early 2nd minute Tobi Wilson try should have been the spark for Cov to power on. Instead we had a very niggly first half, the hosts falling foul of referee Dan James' whistle repeatedly in this first period. Ampthill grew into the game and two Dan Parks penalties allowed The Mob a 6-5 lead at the break. An injury to prop Elliott Chilvers at a ruck, 17 minutes in, with perhaps more to come on that, saw the return of Toby Trinder after his 140 day injury lay-off.  Good to see.  I suspect a ' few words' from Head Coach Alex Rae at the break did the trick! 
in the second 40 , Cov were unrecognisable, playing with pace and skills that Ampthill could not live with.  James Martin benefited from an excellent Wilson break, then captain Jordon Poole was shepherded over by his pack to make it far more comfortable after that ragged first half. Martin claimed his second try after an excellent Chester Owen break from his own 22, whilst the , later to be adjudged Man of the Match, Will Wand, showed his style once more, racing over from the Ampthill 10 metre line , untouched. Three conversions and a penalty for Pat Pellegrini completed the scoring, 34-6 to Cov. Att: 2507

Next up for Cov, on Saturday, a 2nd v 3rd clash at Castle Park, Doncaster, 2.30pm kickoff.

Cov 34 v Ampthill 6

Tries: Martin (2) , Wilson, Poole, Wand

Cons: Pellegrini 3

Pens: Pellegrini