By John Wilkinson, Coventry Telegraph.
March 5 2012
COVENTRY’S resilience and dogged determination earned two more valuable away points for their battle-scarred squad in a game of highs and lows at Priory Lane.
Trailing 12-0 after an ineffective first half littered with mistakes and the advantage of a strong breeze, Cov looked set for a hiding against a Park side lying fifth in the National League One table and harbouring hopes of mounting a title run.
But what a transformation in the second half. Park’s pack disintegrated under increasing pressure from the rampant away forwards, Cov’s handling improved as confidence spread through the backs and in the end the home side – who picked up two yellow cards – were hanging on for dear life.
As at Blaydon a week earlier, the final whistle came just too soon for Cov and the frustration was obvious as they came off the pitch.
But it was an outcome they would surely have settled for at half-time, and although results elsewhere saw them drop a place in the table to 13th, the points gained mean they retain a good cushion over the teams below them with a platform from the last two games to build on for a changed side still gelling together.
Cov had the advantage of the elements in the first half but after an early 35-metre break by Will Hafu they scarcely threatened the home 22 and paid for some indifferent handling and kicking as they tried to force the game from deep positions.
Missed tackles gifted Park their opening try after 12 minutes from a move beginning ten metres inside the home half and finished off in the left corner by Miles Montella, and with Cov struggling to get over the gain line they went further behind when Ross Laidlaw spotted a gap in the midfield cover and strode over for a try which he also converted.
Cov ended the half strongly, Khrist Kopetzky hitting the upright with a 38-metre penalty before Hafu was halted a stride short of the line with Park hooker Dan Richmond in the sin bin, and it proved s sign of things to come.
Lock Tom Hicks used his considerable height to steal two Park line-outs in quick succession after the restart, and Cov were right back in the game when a decisive break by James Otutaha led to a maiden score for centre Callum MacBurnie in the right corner. Park regained the initiative from a now increasingly rare sortie when Will Robinson’s half-break created space for Harry Rowland to go over in the right corner, Laidlaw adding the touchline conversion.
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