Phil Maynard takes positive out of Cov's defeat at Cambridge

But Maynard saw signs of a more incisive Coventry side that manufactured countless opportunities without actually being able to take them.

“We created a lot more than we have for the last few weeks so that’s quite gratifying,” Maynard said.

“That shows we are moving in the right direction but it’s hard to get any consistency with so many injuries because we keep having to change the combinations.”

One factor behind their improved showing was a return to form for fly-half Elliott Read, who ended the match with a personal haul of 17 points and a grand slam of try, drop goal, penalty and conversion. “That was probably Elliott’s best game of the season,” Maynard said. “Peter Glackin sat down with him in the week and went through his game and he responded really well.

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