By Tom Little.
April 29 2013
Results 27th April 2013
BLACKHEATH 25 29 LOUGHBOROUGH ST
BLAYDON 24 24 MACCLESFIELD
CINDERFORD 47 24 CAMBRIDGE
EALING 41 17 COVENTRY
ESHER 33 24 FYLDE
OLD ALBANIAN 57 17 TYNEDALE
SEDGLEY PARK 24 37 ROSSLYN PARK
WHARFEDALE 30 26 RICHMOND
It was farewell to champions Ealing as they said goodbye to National League 1 with a strong second half showing against Coventry. With the wind Coventry led at halftime but couldn‘t keep up the physical contest letting in 5 unanswered tries. With Tom Wheatcroft having an off day with the boot it was left to Coventry Rugby’s Cliffie Hodgson to finish off the season as the league’s leading points scorer, congratulations to him.
In the race to avoid the final relegation spot, Wharfedale had the marginally better result with a narrow home win over Richmond, thanks in part to 15 points from Tom Barrett, although they had to survive a nervous last few minutes. Macclesfield surprised many with 3 point draw at Blaydon, and a last minute missed conversion lost them the game. Both sides are now on 57 points but with Wharfedale having a game in hand, but if Wharfedale win and Macclesfield lose next week Macclesfield will be relegated.
All the other results went with form. Old Albanian said farewell to James Shanahan, before his new post at Plymouth Albion as they put 9 tries past Tynedale. Will they be able to maintain these heady heights with him gone? It was also farewell to Director of Rugby Jan Bonney of Rosslyn Park and Ibrahim Yusuf of Blackheath who had mixed fortunes in their last games in charge.
Coventry are currently in 9th place with a game in hand, they are guaranteed at least 10th place and could be up to 7th if they can win at Wharfedale.
Tom Little
Coventry Rugby press office
29th April 2013.
