Week 14 - Championship Review

Another points-filled weekend in the Championship sees Cov 'swamp' Donny and Ealing pass the 50 points mark - again.

This Championship weekend began on Friday evening as Hartpury entertained Cambridge, not sure the visitors were ' entertained ' that much as they suffered a heavy 61-10 defeat, the hosts scoring nine tries in the process, including a hat-trick for centre Robbie Smith.  The ' students' are certainly on an excellent run of form. One Kwaku Asiedu, once of this parish,  scored for Cambridge on what was a sorry night in general for them.  Att: 1312.

Down at Dillingham Park, or whatever it is called this week, Ampthill secured their first home win in four months as they banished London Scottish, 35-12.  Five tries for a much-changed home side after last week's capitulation at the BPA, nine changes   A close first half ended 12-all,  with Ampthill stretching away in the second 40. Two visiting tries in the first 4 minutes offered promise for Scots.  Sadly that hope was rather rapidly extinguished.  Att: 605.

Ealing Trailfinders, ahead of Saturday's visit to the BPA,  scored 50+ points for the second week running, a 52-26 win over the entertaining but frustratingly inconsistent Nottingham, the visitors leaving with a BP for their four tries.  Ealing's pack power was again in evidence, a hat-trick for hooker Matt Cornish, a try for Biyo Alo and a penalty try.  Trailfinders now lead the Championship table by 13 points.  Att: 1560. 

Cornish Pirates managed something Cov were unable to do , a bonus point win at Caldy, four tries in a 32- 14 success.  A  long trip for the Cornishmen moves them into second place in the table, a good result after their enforced weekend of no Championship rugby last week.  Att: 1024

And so, on to Cov.  Travelling to Doncaster with a nearly fully fit, squad proved a major plus for Cov. They dominated the game, a first half stranglehold of the game failing to trouble the scoreboard their play deserved.  A mixture of wrong decisions and the wet conditions major factors.  Pat Pellegrini's penalty looking to be the only score until a trademark PP break created a try for Tom Ball just before the interval, PP converting for a 10-0 lead.  
The second half was more of the same, handling errors on both sides disrupting play, but Cov's pack in the ascendancy.  The form of Messrs Trinder, Poole and Nicol was highly noticeable.  A penalty try, excellent refereeing by Luke Pearce throughout, following an earlier PP penalty , made the scoreboard more realistic.  The hosts found some reward with a 15-man , mauled try, converted and a kick and chase try late on, unconverted gave Donny glimmer of hope, extinguished by Tom Hitchcock's debut try, converted by PP.  Game over.  Att: 2038.

Doncaster 12 v Coventry 27

Cov Tries: Ball, Hitchcock, Penalty

Cons:        Pellegrini 2

Pens:        Pellegrini 2