Week 16 national league 1 results round up...

...Saturday 20th December 2014 including Coventry Rugby v Loughborough Students.

Results for week 16 - Saturday 20^th December 2014.

Blackheath                               37        21         Rosslyn Park

Coventry Rugby                       48       22          Loughborough Students

Darlington Mowden Park      26        27          Wharfedale

Ealing Tfs                                  45        18          Old Albanian

Esher                                         27        37          Richmond

Fylde                                         57          5          Macclesfield

Hartpury College                    20          8          Cinderford

Tynedale                                  17        27          Blaydon

A Saturday of record total National League 1 attendances led by the 1500 plus at the BPA, and no less than 62 tries scored over the 8 ties. Blackheath’s win over second placed Rosslyn Park put the icing on the festive cake as Coventry Rugby took advantage and surged into second place. Towards the other end of the table there were important away wins by Blaydon and Wharfedale moving both teams away from the danger zone.

Blackheath, as they promised did Coventry Rugby a favour by defeating Rosslyn Park and even denied them a losing bonus point. Yet they had to do it the hard way coming from behind and even managed to find a goal-kicker after last week’s tribulations. A late yellow card didn’t help Park but a late home penalty try denied them even a losing bonus point. A loss that slips Rosslyn Park down to 3rd and now  4 points behind Coventry.

Coventry Rugby rubbed in the advantage with a 7 try win over Loughborough Students who also were in urgent need of a goal-kicker. An early brace of tries by Dan Rundle and a pushover by Ed Milne behind a dominant Coventry scrum gave them impressive start. However as they have found to their cost in the past the Students never give up and with players thinking the game was over it became too loose with Loughborough taking full advantage making it 17 all at half-time. A gentle admonishment at half-time saw Coventry come out a more aggressive and focused side restricting the Students to one early try, as they themselves ran in 3 in the final quarter- a feature of Coventry’s last 4 games. The crowd of 1583 showed an increase of 46% over the corresponding opponents last season.

Ealing Trailfinders maintained their 5 point lead over Coventry, with their own 7 try haul over an Old Albanian side forced to playing James Shanahan their former DOR and now DOR at Plymouth Albion who turned out on loan. The bonus point was already in the bag by half-time as the overall power of the Ealing pack and finishing power of the backs proved they were a class above their visitors. This loss leaves Old Albanian only 2 points ahead of the final relegation place and with Coventry as their first visitors in the New Year they will be hoping their injury problems are soon sorted out.

Tynedale continued their dismal form with their 6^th consecutive loss, this time at home to near neighbours  Blaydon. With winger Tom Jeffrey in fine form Blaydon were always in control until a late fight-back gave some respectability to the score-line. A crucial win for Blaydon, moving them a heady 10 points from danger, but dropping Tynedale into the final relegation place.

The only game without a try bonus point and indeed the lowest scoring game was the Gloucestershire derby between Hartpury College and Cinderford. A close 1^st half was settled early in the 2^nd with a Matt Protheroe try with the College always edging it in the pack, this loss left Cinderford in the 2^nd relegation place yet still only 4 points from safety. The better recent form from Cinderford seems to be evaporating but Hartpury are now up to the heady heights of 8^th in the table.

Before a large crowd and despite losing at home to Wharfedale, Darlington Mowden Park in picking up 2 bonus points moved out of the bottom three. An impressive Dale side scored 3 first half tries,  but were pegged back by a second half fight-back giving Park the lead but a late penalty gave Wharfedale the victory. The two bonus points for Darlington may prove crucial at the end of the season, but this was another example of Park being unable to turn leads into wins. Wharfedale on the other hand will be well pleased with the victory which takes them 6 points from danger.

The London derby between Esher and Richmond saw the visitors break their 3 match losing run which keeps them in 5^th place as they scored 3 second half tries with Rob Kirby finding his kicking boots. Esher finish the year a disappointing 7^th after being unable to maintain their early season promise. Richmond still have much to do as they try and dislodge Fylde from 4^th place. 

Indeed Fylde took full advantage of having to meet bottom side Macclesfield with a 9 try demolition. A win that brings them to within 3 points of third placed Rosslyn Park as the home side ran away with it in the second half with 6 further tries. Not much solace to Macclesfield apart from wishing them well back in NL2 North. 

This is the final  league round-up of the year and may I take this opportunity to wish all Coventry Rugby Supporters whether young and old, old stagers or newbies  a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year especially on the Coventry Rugby front. A special thanks to all the Coventry Rugby team squad ,their coaches and back-up staff for giving us all an exciting and most entertaining start to the season-surely the best since being at the BPA.

Previews, then followed by Results Round-ups will start again in the New Year covering Week 17 with Coventry Rugby’s away game at Old Albanian on the 3^rd January 2015.

Tom Little

Coventry Rugby press office

21^st December 2014.