Coventry RFC 27 Wharfedale 11

POINTS machine Cliffie Hodgson inspired Coventry to a convincing victory over Wharfedale as the home fires continued to burn brightly.The South African accounted for 17 of his team’s total, including a 36th-minute try, one of three the hosts managed on a day that perhaps ought to have brought maximum points.

After all Cov had plenty of possession, particularly in the second half when they dominated and were the ones asking all the questions.

However, with a greasy ball and heavy pitch they found it difficult to string together the phases that would surely have opened up the visitors.

In moments of attacking clarity they managed to produce a hat-trick of tries, two in the first period from Hodgson and the excellent Greg Evans and one from Liam Munro.

And when he wasn’t touching the ball down himself, Hodgson was the creative force for others to do so with his imaginative kicking.

Cov were 6-0 down after a couple of errors had gifted the visitors first quarter attacking positions and penalties, accepted by Christian Georgiou and Lloyd Davies.

At that stage Phil Maynard’s men were stuttering and in danger of losing on home turf for the first time since the opening day of the season,

But then with his side on the ‘Dale 22 Hodgson drew the defence on to him and chipped behind where Evans raced through and accepted the kind bounce for his fifth of the campaign. Hodgson converted and at 7-6 Coventry never looked back.

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