After a visit to Ikea and the Coventry market, it was time to break the rugby drought as Bristol, in the hideous maroon strip, kicked off.  The first lineout went to Bristol allowing the pack to drive into the Coventry defence, a tactic that was to prove fruitful later but this time stuttered to a halt with a knock-on.  Coventry, under pressure throughout in the tight, were penalised at the scrum and Adrian Jarvis kicked for touch.  The familiar catch and drive was once more brought into operation before the ball was allowed out into the backline and Lee Robinson, continuing his recent aggressive performances, popped up in the centre to feed Jack Adams.  A long penalty advantage was allowed when Coventry went offside and Bristol went for the option of a five metre scrum in the right hand corner.  Robinson made a powerful run but his momentum was lost as a half tackle prevented a breakthrough.

Bristol kept possession and looked, after switching play back across the pitch, to have burst through the defensive line.  However, Coventry were awarded a penalty for crossing and they were allowed off the hook.  A brief altercation followed, with no harm done.  Coventry cleared to touch but were under pressure in the lineout before Bristol, in their eagerness to get at the ball, were penalised for going off their feet at the ruck.  Coventry failed to take their lineout ball following the penalty and this allowed Bristol back onto the attack.  Jarvis kicked long into space and Bristol followed up the kick well to force a hurried touch kick from Coventry.  A throw to the front of the lineout caught the defence off-guard and a promising attack developed before a sequence of poor passes eventually ended up forcing Tom Arscott to knock-on.  The hosts were unable to clear the danger and kicked out on the full.  The ball went out quickly from the lineout and Adams spotted a gap in the drift defence and made good ground before flipping the ball out to Robinson to go over in the corner for an unconverted try and a 0 - 5 score with ten minutes gone.

Bristol tried to keep up the pressure and Tarscott sent an awkward kick down to the Coventry 5 metre line.  The Bristol pack looked dominant in the scrum but  a free kick was awarded to Coventry as a scrum failed to settle.  Finally Coventry got forward and long kick had to be fielded by Spice before a Larscott kick found touch.  Adams went offside following the lineout and Coventry went for the posts.  They made no mistake: 3 - 5.  Bristol pushed Coventry back and Robinson chipped the defence, harrying the defender back.  Jarvis kicked a penalty to touch on the Coventry 5 metre line.  Catch and drive was the order of the day and the pack went over the line out left, with Ross Johnston claiming the touchdown.  Jarvis was again off-target for a 3 - 10 scoreline after 23 minutes.

Bristol then promptly gave away a penalty that Apikotoa landed from the 10-metre line to narrow the gap to 6 - 10.  Bristol tried to attack again and we saw the unusual sight of Robinson at scrum-half.  Coventry were penalised for (not) taking Tarscott out in the air.  Bristol took full advantage by driving over from the line-out with Redford Pennycook claiming the try.  Tarscott took over the kicking duties and converted for a 6 - 17 lead.

Typically, Bristol (in the form of Roy Winters) gave away another kickable penalty but this time Coventry went for touch.  Sadly, the line-out throw was not straight.  Coventry made a good midfield break, courtesy of Johnson, before being penalised.  Jarvis made a long touch but this time Bristol failed to throw straight.  The half petered out with some inconclusive exchanges. 

Bristol started the second half very positively, with Larscott breaking down the left and the pack maintaining the pressure.  Coventry were forced to give away a penalty which once again Jarvis kicked to touch.  Bristol executed the by now familiar catch and drive with Coventry again failing to cope.  Johnston came away with a second try.  Tarscott's conversion attempt hit the left hand post but the bonus point had been secured at 6 - 22 with just three minutes gone.  A sweeping Bristol move saw Tarscott burst down the left wing before just being forced into touch.  Adams was then rightly penalised for a high tackle but harshly sent to the naughty step (it appeared to me that the Coventry player was slipping as the tackle went in).  Coventry tried to capitalise on the one-man advantage and managed to force Bristol back down to their 22.  Coventry switched play from side to side as they strove to find a way through the suffocating Bristol defence.  Their only reward came from a penalty that was well struck and narrowed the gap to 9 - 22.

Bristol tried to seize the initiative from the hosts and Tarscott forced his opposite wing back in the tackle.  Bristol continued to attack down the left but Coventry managed to spoil Bristol ball at the ruck.  Coventry tried to up the pace and managed to keep hold of the ball for several phases.  They took a quick tap penalty in their efforts to keep up the pressure on the depleted Bristol defence.  However the momentum was halted by a knock-on.  It was time for Adams to return and Bristol set up good territorial position by hoofing the ball into the Coventry 22. 

Larscott ran the ball back as Coventry attempted to clear the danger and Adams carried on the move.  Coventry were penalised in their desperation to halt the Bristol attack.  Unsurprisingly, Bristol went for touch but the expected catch and drive was very poorly executed and the ball was knocked on.  Coventry tried to break the Bristol stranglehold but the Bristol forwards maintained the upper hand in the set piece.  Tarscott made a scything break that looked very dangerous before his attempted chip kick led to a Bristol knock-on.  Robinson too tried to break down his wing but, lacking support, he was forced to kick ahead and the ball was marked.

Coventry were now putting together some good moves and Lewis made a fine break that was only just hauled down.  Bristol stole another Coventry line-out and went over to the attack with the backs combining well.  The move came to a halt when a Coventry hand slapping a pass down convinced the referee that Bristol had knocked on.  Still, Bristol attacked and the forwards attempted to maul the ball over the line.  Finally, the tired defence missed a crucial tackle and this allowed Junior Fatialofa to power over the line.  Replacement Sam Giddens was off-target with his conversion attempt but the score stood at 9 - 27.

With the match drawing to a close, Bristol's concentration wavered and Coventry were almost immediately able to strike from a 10-man maul.  Askew was driven over out on the right for a try that was well converted with the last touch of the game for a final score of 16 - 27. 

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

Related Articles:

• Pirates Repelled on New Years Day
• Bristol Take Top Spot
• Bedford Blue With Cold