By John Wilkinson, Coventry Telegraph.
October 17 2011
EIGHTY minutes of honest all-round endeavour produced Coventry’s third successive away win of the season and perhaps the most impressive as it underlined just how much progress has been made over the past year.
Cov began life in National League One at the same Corbridge ground last September when they were on the end of a 45-20 defeat against a side that went on to finish fifth in the table.
How difficult a test it was again going to be was clear when Cov fell behind to a try with just 78 seconds on the clock as Tynedale ran at them from all angles in a whirlwind start.
But Cov kept their composure, weathered the early storm, and steadily took a firm hold on the game which was only relaxed in a mad last few minutes when Tynedale’s never-say-die attitude brought them two quickfire tries which put a somewhat unrealistic slant on the final scoreline.
Cov’s win was fully deserved and built around an excellent performance from the pack who, with prop Ethan Waller enjoying a superb debut, gave Tynedale a real going over in the scrum, allied to another powerful defensive show which referee Tom Davis said was the best he had seen at this level.
The first led to three of Cov’s tries as Tynedale struggled against the power of the Cov eight and together with the second it served to keep the home side’s dangerous backs in check and, as the game wore on, forced them to build from ever-deepening positions.
And, as an extra plus, returning winger Jeff Gregson scored Cov’s fourth try on only his second replacement appearance of the season and, looking sharp, is well on the way back to the form that brought him 14 tries last term.
Tynedale showed their intentions from the start, attacking in waves after Cov had returned their kick-off and their backs stretching the cover on both sides before winger Peter Cole went over from close range, Matty Outson missing the eminently kickable conversion.
Cov had more defending to do before their first concerted attack produced a Luke Myring penalty but this was quickly cancelled out by Outson at the other end.
The tide turned five minutes later when Cov’s eight shoved the Tynedale pack off the ball at a scrum in the away half. It led to a penalty in the home 22, which Cov ran, and from there it was route one to the posts where the forwards were twice held up on the line before Myring joined in to claim the try, also converting.
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