Overall though, while the game could be described as exciting for the moderate sized crowd, Coventry's rugby director Phil Maynard was certainly not impressed with his squad's overall performance.

"We had more than enough chances to win but were tactically naïve'' commented Maynard.

"Having prepared reasonably well we knew what we had to do, but once the players are out there they have to do it for themselves, they know what they have got to do and then all of a sudden, the individual error count goes through the roof. By our admission we have to say that was a poor performance, but we will draw a line under it and return to the drawing board."

With skipper Henno Venter making his 100th senior appearance in a Coventry jersey, his side got away to the worst possible start when Kurt Johnson, not for the last time it was to prove, found himself caught in possession.

Tom Barlow landed the resulting penalty and then converted a Gregor Hayter try, and all within the first [five minutes.

Back came Cov, though, when after Nathan Jones had taken a quick tap penalty, Donovan Sanders shot through home defences for Myles Dorrian to convert.

Seventeen points in seven minutes was some start.

Barlow, wind assisted from 52 metres, and Dorrian subsequently exchanged penalties for 13-10 before Rotherham again applied pressure and the hardworking Skurr was able to free up full-back Whitehead for a second home try, Barlow again adding the extras.

Close to half-time after a mass brawl had broken out in the home 22, Rob Dugard of Coventry and Rotherham's Brad Hunt and Hayter were handed yellow cards, Dorrian landing the resulting penalty.

From 20-13 down at half-time and then having the strong wind in their favour, Cov must have felt they could come good in the second half.

Sadly, though, the errors would not go away with several real opportunities lost.

But with the home side still down to 13 men, Coventry No 8 Laurie Mc-Glone crashed over from a five-metre scrum five minutes into the second half, Dorrian again converting.

After Barlow missed a penalty attempt, Coventry then proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot again, loose tacking allowing home winger Jon Feeley through for a try, too far out for Barlow's conversion attempt.

Dorrian was subsequently wide with a wind-assisted penalty from a 30-metre angle, before Cov gave themselves a real lift. It came through a second try of the game from Sanders and his fifth in four games, the South African striding through after excellent build up from Dorrian and George Dixon. Dorrian's conversion put his side in front for the first time at 27-25.

Victory was to elude the visitors though, for with the clock showing 74 minutes, Barlow landed a 28-metre angled penalty for the home side.

Even then, with the referee adding on eight minutes of injury time, Dorrian could have won the game, but his 48-metre penalty attempt fell agonisingly short and Coventry were left to ponder what might, and almost certainly should, have been.

Rotherham: Tries: Hayter (5mins), Whitehead (22), Feeley (55). Conversions; Barlow 2. Penalty goals: Barlow 3. Coventry: Tries: Sanders ( 7 & 60), McGlone (50). Conversions; Dorrian 3. Penalty goals; Dorrian 2.

Rotherham Titans: Whitehead, Feeley, Hunt, Buckley, Briers, Barlow, Chivers, 0'Donnell (Tea 80), Conroy (Horn 74), Prescott, McGowan (Challinor 68), Hayter (Raven 65), Jacobs (DuPlessis 55), Burrows, Skurr.

Coventry: Russell, Johnson (Hayes 85), Dixon, Sanders, Winter, Dorrian, Jones (Walls 72), Ovens, Whitehead ( Pearl 83), Dugard (Brits 47), Herrington, Burgess (Lyons 56), Venter (Capt) (Thomas 78), Miller, McGlone.

Referee: Nick Williams (RFU)

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

Related Articles:

• Darlington MP 7 Nuneaton 44
• Rugby Lions 24 Lydney 7
• RFU plans fully pro second tier