National League 1 round 21 - February 2nd results roundup.


By Tom Little.
February 3 2013

Results 2nd February 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blaydon              36         31       Wharfedale

Cambridge            7           9       Richmond

Cinderford          52          19      Fylde

Coventry             29          19      Tynedale

Ealing Tfs             21          14      Blackheath

Old Albanian       40          42      Loughborough Students

Rosslyn Park        46          10      Macclesfield

Sedgley Park        22          34      Esher

At last a full round of games on Saturday although arguably for some defensive coaches it wasn’t worth the wait.

No such worries at Cambridge where pride of place must go to certain relegation team Cambridge before their new coaches who put up a noble fight but were pipped at the post by high flying Richmond thanks to a late penalty by Thomas Platt. A win that means that Richmond displace Old Albanian in 5th place.

In what could be termed the surprise of the round saw Old Albanian lose narrowly at home to the Loughborough Students, who not for the first time this season came from behind this time 26-7 down to snatch the victory. Both sides scored 6 tries a piece or should it be shipped!  In the end an extra conversion won it. Perhaps a warning to never let complacency come to the fore whatever your lead is.

League leaders Ealing has their expected hard tussle with Blackheath, whose lack of finishing power despite plenty of possession cost them the game. A defensive master class by Ealing gave them the deserved win but the lack of a bonus point has marginally reduced their lead over Blaydon to 6 points.

Blaydon found their northern rivals more than a handful than their recent form suggests in a game that always see-sawed from one end to another but with the home side always having a slight lead. Late yellow and red cards gave Wharfedale a sniff of victory but despite a late try  which gave them 2 losing bonus points it wasn’t to be, but these points could prove decisive at the end of the season with all the bottom sides losing as it widens the gap between them and Sedgley Park to 14 points.

Sedgely Park  remain in 14th place despite a brave attempt to shock third placed Esher with three tries of their own. In the end the power game of Esher especially their pack led to 2 penalty tries and 2 more tries from scrum half Andy Garner. A win that keeps Esher just one point behind Blaydon.

The final game involving a  top 4 side saw another try fest from Rosslyn Park, who overcame a brave but ultimately outclassed Macclesfield side, now surely resigned to relegation. Another 7 tries for Park increases their lead over 5th place Richmond to 12 points.

Coventry Rugby move back into the top half of the table with a hard fought bonus point win over a resilient Tynedale side. Coventry whose defence has been immense recently struggled in the first half with the counter attacks from their visitors, but they tightened up their game in the second half giving Tynedale few chances.  A win that brings Coventry within 4 points of 5th place.

The final game of the round saw Cinderford at last find some form with a comprehensive win over luckless Fylde. Once again home form proved decisive with the Foresters getting 7 tries and Fylde’s poor away performances continuing.

Increasingly it looks as though the champion will come from the existing top 4 sides, and the three relegation teams from the existing bottom three, but with still 10 to 12 games to be played it is still all to play for.

 

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

3rd February 2013

 

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National League 1 round 21 - February 2nd results roundup.
Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 03/02/2013 18:42
Unofficial Coventry Rugby
Unofficial Coventry Rugby
03/02/2013 18:42
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