Coventry 3 Wharfedale 8 by John Wilkinson.


By John Wilkinson, Coventry Telegraph.
December 13 2011

AS BAD days go at the office, this must rank among the worst for Coventry who could count themselves fortunate to escape with a losing bonus point.

Under pressure from the opening minute, Cov scarcely got out of first gear for the whole 80 minutes and were comprehensively out-thought and outmuscled by a committed Wharfedale side who got the best out of Welsh exchange referee Jason Bessant and thoroughly deserved their win.

After taking 27 minutes to reach the opposition 22 for the first time, Cov somehow then managed to hold a 3-0 lead for over half an hour and kept their line intact until the 68th minute when the Dale pack finally forced their way over for the only try of the game.

That it took so long to come was a tribute to Cov’s defence, but the home side – who have now gone two games without a try – offered little in attack to back that up and apart from a brief spell just before half-time, they never looked like scoring.

By contrast, Dale – climbing up the National League One table after this fourth straight win – were more direct in everything they did and much more physical around the fringes and at the breakdown where flanker Dan Solomi was a constant nuisance.

Cov lost the opening scrum against the head as Dale dominated the early exchanges, missing a chance to open the scoring when Tom Davidson put a 38-metre penalty wide of the right post before Scott Jordan was tackled into touch in the right corner by Andy Murray.

After a lengthy break while Luke Myring received treatment, the game descended into a succession of mistakes as both sides struggled in the difficult conditions and it was Cov who finally made the breakthrough on 33 minutes when, after missing a 37-metre penalty chance, Mark O’Connor made no mistake from inside the Dale 22 to nudge his side ahead.


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Coventry 3 Wharfedale 8 by John Wilkinson.
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