By Tom Little.
January 12 2014

Saturday 11th January 2014. 

Results Week 18 - Saturday 11^th January

Blackheath                        28            28          Loughborough Students

Blaydon                              19           18          Rosslyn Park

Doncaster Knights            62           28          Cinderford

Henley Hawks                   10           18          Coventry Rugby

Old Albanian                     31             8          Esher

Richmond                          33           24         Hull Ionians

Wharfedale                       14           27         Tynedale

Worthing Raiders             25           17         Fylde

Well a Saturday of surprises with only leaders Doncaster and 6^th placed Coventry managing to win from the top 6 sides with Rosslyn Park, Esher, Fylde and Wharfedale all losing. Results that leave the leaders an increased points advantage of 8 over Rosslyn Park. Coventry’s win has narrowed their gap to just 4 points behind third placed Esher with a game in hand.

The other end of the table is also showing signs of life following Tynedale’s win at Wharfedale now bringing them to just 4 points from safety. There are no less than 6 teams separated by just 9 points all fighting to avoid the two relegation spots.

It was also back to normal as the weather and pitch conditions improved saw an increase in tries scored although with only a 60% conversion rate perhaps more teams need a Cliffie Hodgson!

As expected Doncaster Knights managed their try bonus win over Cinderford with 9 tries involving a brace from the inform centre Matt Clark and winger Tyson Lewis. Yet the leaders did show defensive frailties, not for the first time this season with allowing Cinderford to come away with their own try bonus point which may prove valuable at the end of the season for the Foresters. This win leaves Doncaster 8 points ahead of Rosslyn Park.

In what was expected to be the closest tie of the round proved to be so as Blaydon hung on for a 1 point victory over second placed Rosslyn Park. A nip and tuck contest with the 1^st half shaded by Park but a stronger home pack and scrum performance by the home side just edged them in front. A late try for Rosslyn Park almost won it for them but the conversion was missed. This win places Blaydon just 4 points from 5th place.

Not quite such a close game as Old Albanian turned the form book upside down with a comprehensive home victory and bonus point win over third placed Esher. A loss that dents Esher’s promotion prospects but finally puts Old Albanian in sight of a top half finish. Fly-half Lawrence Rayner was the catalyst with his 4 conversions and penalty that went some way to exorcizing their previous performance at Tynedale.

In beautifully sunny conditions Worthing Raiders finally put a game to bed with a justified victory over high flying and form team Fylde. A first half brace of tries from winger Finlay Coxon-Smith put them on their way and despite a fight-back by Fylde two more tries including the hat-trick one for Coxon-Smith gave the home side this important victory. The somewhat ineffective goal-kicking from both sides made it a close game and increased the tension.

Another surprising result was the home defeat of Wharfedale by their northern visitors Tynedale. A second successive win by Tynedale has given them real hope of avoiding relegation especially as some of their more experienced players are back from injury, with them now only 4 points from safety. Wharfedale had no answer to Tynedale who fully deserved the win, a loss that drops Wharfedale to 6^th place level on points with fellow northern side Blaydon in 7^th.

A somewhat turgid affair occurred at Dry Leas as on a beautifully sunny day both Henley Hawks and Coventry Rugby failed to string more than a few phases together. Yet Coventry started so strongly and were close on at least three occasions but chances were squandered apart from the reliable Cliffie Hodgson getting 3 penalties. A yellow card against Coventry gave Henley the impetus to get a late 1^st half try and they looked the more likely to win. However Coventry survived, their pack once again became more dominant and forced three more penalties for Hodgson to convert. Just about a deserved victory for a team that will not give up.

Blackheath remain in the third relegation place despite a 3 point draw with visitors Loughborough Students. Once again a Dave Allen brace of tries gave the home side the lead but the Students never gave up and in the end it needed a last minute penalty for Blackheath to share the spoils. A draw that still leaves Blackheath in the third relegation spot.

The final game saw another defeat of Hull Ionians away at Richmond. A closer game than many expected saw it 17 all at half-time but 5 tries in total for the home side saw them home, although a more competitive Hull Ionians side battled away for their  own try bonus point. An important win for Richmond which moves them up to 11^th place but still only 5 points from safety.

Tom Little

Coventry rugby press office

12^th January 2014.

National league 1 results round up week 18...

Discussion started by Unofficial Coventry Rugby (IP Logged), 12/01/2014 14:52

Unofficial Coventry Rugby
12/01/2014 14:52

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