By Tom Little.
September 22 2013

Results Week 3 /Round 3 21st September.

Blackheath                   29                 31          Fylde

Blaydon                         25                 35          Esher

Cinderford                     31                  7          Hull Ionians

Doncaster Knights        38                17         Worthing Raiders

Henley Hawks                 6                   6         Rosslyn Park

Old Albanian                   29               17         Tynedale

Richmond                        31               32         Coventry Rugby

Wharfedale                     26               29         Loughborough Students 

A Saturday that saw all the top 5 sides win and so remain unbeaten, whilst at the other end of the table finds 4 sides still to win including league newcomers Hull Ionians and Worthing Raiders.

Last week’s leaders Coventry Rugby needed a last minute penalty from Cliffie Hodgson to scrape a win at Richmond. Against a well organised pack and dominant back row, Coventry had a strangely subdued and sluggish game, with far too many tackles missed, especially round the fringes. Behind for all but the last 5 minutes Coventry finally put some phases together with a late try to Danny Wright and even later penalty kick to win it at the death. Perhaps a salutary lesson to the team that no game in this league can be taken lightly whatever the league position.

Doncaster Knights go back to the top by dint of their bonus point win at home to league newcomers Worthing Raiders. In effect out of sight by half-time due to their speed in the backs and clinical finishing of players like wing Tyson Lewis, Worthing couldn’t cope with the pace and finishing in the 1^st half. All credit to Worthing as they came back in the second half with two late tries, capitalising on the home side’s mistakes. Too little and too late with Worthing needing to quickly get up to speed to survive in this league.

Loughborough Students continued their 100% record with a close bonus point win at Wharfedale. Despite Tom Barrett kicking 7 penalties the Students had the finishing power to run in 4 tries with half-backs Chris Surman and Henry Taylor dominant. An intriguing question for the future-what happens if the Students are promoted and enter the Professional Championship League?

Blaydon continued their disastrous start to this season with their third consecutive loss, this time to high flying Esher. Two closely matched packs so it was left to the better finishing and quality of the Esher’s backs that won the game, helped of course by the goal kicking of full-back Luke Daniels. Blaydon showed enough for it to be a short time before they get back to winning ways.

Another unbeaten side Fylde also made it three wins in a row after a close exciting tussle at Blackheath. Both side scored three tries but it was the overall kicking and display by Fylde’s No 10 Chris Johnson that proved decisive. Paul Arnold made a guest appearance at No 8 scoring his obligatory try and generally causing mayhem. A win that moves Fylde up to 5^th place, just behind Coventry and Esher on points difference.

Not quite but almost a local derby saw Henley Hawks fight out a close encounter with Rosslyn Park. With both defences on top and with Rosslyn Park already bottom of the try scoring league, the question was did the home side have enough forward power to get their fast backs moving. In the end it was a key injury to Henley prop Dave Manning that stopped the flow of good ball, but Park were unable to take advantage not helped by their own injury to Hugo Ellis and a flurry of yellow cards to both sides.

Old Albanian finally won their first game of the season over an outclassed Tynedale side. Dale found their second trip down south equally unrewarding, yet at half-time they were still in it. The home pack became dominant allowing more possession to Old Albanian as they ran in 4 tries in total.

The final game of Week 3 saw Cinderford  get their first win of the season over bottom side Hull Ionians. At last a game that the Foresters could get their fast backs going with 4 tries scored. Another harsh lesson to the league newcomers that you quickly have to get used to the pace and have the necessary finishing  power to survive in this league.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

22^nd September 2013.

National league 1 results round up week 3 - 21st September..

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 22/09/2013 16:42

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
22/09/2013 16:42

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