By Tom Little.
February 27 2012

Week 23 results round up.

Results 25^th February

Birmingham Solihull    38         3    Barking

Blaydon                           17      17    Coventry

Cinderford                       31      15    Wharfedale

Ealing Tfs                          27      13    Sedgley Park

Fylde                                  41      26    Cambridge

Rosslyn Park                      19      17   Macclesfield

League leaders Jersey, without a game, saw expected wins for Ealing and Fylde close the gap on themselves to 8 points, but still meaning promotion is in their own hands.

At the other end of the table a bonus point win for Birmingham Solihull over bottom side Barking, virtually seals their fate, but gives Birmingham Solihull hope as they now go above Stourbridge for the final relegation spot and close in on Wharfedale.

A much needed draw and 2 points for Coventry at Blaydon still maintains a 17 point gap between them and the final relegation spot. There is now a crowded mid table  with no fewer than 6 teams  separated by just  7 points between 8^th and 14^th place in the league.

Week 24 fixtures 3^rd March with match previews including Rosslyn Park v Coventry Rugby      

Week 24 fixtures 3^rd March

Birmingham Solihull               v         Tynedale

Blackheath                                v        Cambridge

Cinderford                                  v       Sedgley Park

Ealing Tfs                                    v       Barking

Fylde                                            v       Macclesfield

Jersey                                           v       Blaydon

Rosslyn Park                                v       Coventry

Wharfedale                                  v       Stourbridge

A full complement of fixtures this week, with the real interest coming in the phrenetic chase to avoid the bottom three relegation places.

Birmingham Solihull, after their bonus point win over Barking face another home tie, this time against Tynedale, and must fancy this, to put more pressure of the clutch of teams just above them.

Bottom side Barking face the unenviable task of trying to get something for their trip to 2^nd placed Ealing Tfs. Surely another defeat would seal Barking’s fate, and keep Ealing in the chase for promotion. However the key game must be 13^th placed Wharfedale at home to 15^th placed Stourbridge. A win for either side could put more and more pressure on the losing side.

Leaders Jersey, are at home to Blaydon, whose attritional draw with Coventry may have taken too much out of them to dent Jersey’s promotion ambitions.

Third placed Fylde, with injury concerns, face a north-west derby with Macclesfield, who are still smarting from a narrow last minute defeat by Rosslyn Park.

Mid-table congestion with teams such as Cambridge, Cinderford, Blaydon, Sedgley Park and Coventry will make sure they are all looking for something on Saturday, a win for any of these teams should virtually confirm their safety from relegation.

Rosslyn Park v Coventry Rugby preview.

Saturday 3^rd March at Priory Lane, Roehampton, kick off 2.30 pm sees Coventry make their third away trip in a row to face 5th place Rosslyn Park. Currently in 5^th place on 74 points, with 15 wins and 8 losses, Park’s title ambitions seem to be over for this season after a run of 4 successive losses, which was only corrected on Saturday with a late penalty winner over Macclesfield by 19-17.

Under new head Coach Jan Bonney, Park have assembled a competitive well balanced squad together, publicly acknowledging they were going for promotion this year and at one time led the league.

Amongst the 15 wins have been doubles over Ealing and Macclesfield, and an impressive away win at Fylde. They also put up a fine show at Jersey only losing by 2 points. Earlier in the season they lost narrowly by 30-29 to Coventry, as Coventry had to survive a 2^nd half fightback.

A team that Coventry cannot take too lightly, Rosslyn Park have an experienced pack with a front row of Dan Richmond and Laurence Ovens, with replacement hooker Ben Gotting awaiting in the wings. Stanley McKeen at No 8 is another player to watch.

Key players in the backs include the league’s leading goalkicker No 10 Ross Laidlaw and try scoring winger Miles Mantilla on 15 tries. Other backs to note include centre Steve Parsons, Will Robinson and Dom Shabbo who joined from London Welsh. 

A free flowing game is expected this Saturday, kick off 2.30pm as Coventry go for the win needed to finally banish worries of being at the wrong end of the table, with their confidence high after more than matching Blaydon, both in the pack and in the backs. On a personal note Coventry’s new signing hooker Will Hafu has something to prove to his old employers.

Rosslyn Park, although now realistically out of the promotion race will want to finish the season strongly putting down a marker for their ambitions next season.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

Week 24 fixtures 3rd March with match previews including...

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 27/02/2012 17:57

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