Post by Paul Webb on Jan 25, 2014 18:10:57 GMT
Old Coventrians 28
Nuneaton Old Eds 16
IF ever a game was won and lost due to the capricious elements, then this was surely it.
As the storm clouds unleashed their icy rain, thunder clapped and lightning flashed, Eds were in the lead and in charge.
By half-time, at the height of the storm, they were sitting comfortably at 16-5 ahead. Then, 10 minutes after the resumption, with the ball like a piece of soap and Old Coventrians enjoying the gifts of nature, they had pulled back to 16-15 adrift as Eds struggled to get out of their own half.
And the fact that the home side, who had been thumped 45-5 earlier in the season at Weddington, were able not only to add another 15 points without reply was more a reflection of their good fortune and Eds’ wretched luck as they gained ample revenge.
It had all looked so different in the first 40 minutes. A home try, courtesy of some poor Eds’ defence, saw the hosts go into a 5-0 lead on 16 minutes before Eds’ stand-in skipper, scrum-half Tom Short, knocked over two penalties to reflect his side’s forward supremacy.
The referee’s incessant whistle had so far produced a stop-start affair and there was some concern among the visiting supporters on 24 minutes, when an Eds attempt at a pushover try near the home line was halted by a disintegrating Old Coventrians’ set-piece which surprisingly went unpunished.
As the first 40 minutes approached, with the storm now at its height, Eds back-row man Stuart Holes went over for a try and Short converted to put his side 13-5 clear.
In the by-now dreadful conditions, Short did well to land another penalty as the half dragged into 11 minutes of extra time and put his side 16-5 up.
And that, as far as Eds were concerned was that.
A minute after resumption Old Coventrians came back to 16-8 with a simple penalty and, on four minutes, some more poor Eds defence allowed them in for a converted try which cut the deficit to a single point.
Eds might have been better served if they had concentrated on keeping it tight in the face of the weather but they continued to pursue the optimistic route of spinning the ball wide, with plenty of knock-ons as a consequence.
The ball was now almost impossible to control and icy fingers on both sides could make little use of it.
On 10 minutes a penalty saw the Coventry men go 18-16 up and, after a spell of pressure aided by the favourable conditions, another penalty gave them a five-point advantage.
It had taken Eds 32 minutes to take play into the home half but the assault came to nothing before another determined drive resulted in a home try, again converted to complete the misery for Eds, who saw themselves tumble to seventh in the table and surely with that went any realistic chances of promotion.
Next week Eds are at home to Leamington, a side they beat away earlier but who have recorded some impressive wins since.
Eds coach Kevin Venus's comments to follow.
Nuneaton Old Eds 16
IF ever a game was won and lost due to the capricious elements, then this was surely it.
As the storm clouds unleashed their icy rain, thunder clapped and lightning flashed, Eds were in the lead and in charge.
By half-time, at the height of the storm, they were sitting comfortably at 16-5 ahead. Then, 10 minutes after the resumption, with the ball like a piece of soap and Old Coventrians enjoying the gifts of nature, they had pulled back to 16-15 adrift as Eds struggled to get out of their own half.
And the fact that the home side, who had been thumped 45-5 earlier in the season at Weddington, were able not only to add another 15 points without reply was more a reflection of their good fortune and Eds’ wretched luck as they gained ample revenge.
It had all looked so different in the first 40 minutes. A home try, courtesy of some poor Eds’ defence, saw the hosts go into a 5-0 lead on 16 minutes before Eds’ stand-in skipper, scrum-half Tom Short, knocked over two penalties to reflect his side’s forward supremacy.
The referee’s incessant whistle had so far produced a stop-start affair and there was some concern among the visiting supporters on 24 minutes, when an Eds attempt at a pushover try near the home line was halted by a disintegrating Old Coventrians’ set-piece which surprisingly went unpunished.
As the first 40 minutes approached, with the storm now at its height, Eds back-row man Stuart Holes went over for a try and Short converted to put his side 13-5 clear.
In the by-now dreadful conditions, Short did well to land another penalty as the half dragged into 11 minutes of extra time and put his side 16-5 up.
And that, as far as Eds were concerned was that.
A minute after resumption Old Coventrians came back to 16-8 with a simple penalty and, on four minutes, some more poor Eds defence allowed them in for a converted try which cut the deficit to a single point.
Eds might have been better served if they had concentrated on keeping it tight in the face of the weather but they continued to pursue the optimistic route of spinning the ball wide, with plenty of knock-ons as a consequence.
The ball was now almost impossible to control and icy fingers on both sides could make little use of it.
On 10 minutes a penalty saw the Coventry men go 18-16 up and, after a spell of pressure aided by the favourable conditions, another penalty gave them a five-point advantage.
It had taken Eds 32 minutes to take play into the home half but the assault came to nothing before another determined drive resulted in a home try, again converted to complete the misery for Eds, who saw themselves tumble to seventh in the table and surely with that went any realistic chances of promotion.
Next week Eds are at home to Leamington, a side they beat away earlier but who have recorded some impressive wins since.
Eds coach Kevin Venus's comments to follow.