Blackheath 27 v Coventry 27

Unforced errors aplenty, but any game that goes to the wire will have its thrills and, indeed, this one did, particularly in the last five minutes when Blackheath were camped on the Coventry goal-line pressing for a winning score.

In the final analysis though, it will be Coventry who will feel marginally more disappointed.

“It was a good game between two committed sides and I’m sure it kept the crowd entertained” said Coventry Head Coach Phil Maynard.

“It was our best defensive performance since Christmas and the first half saw some of the best attacking play in my time at the club. The average age of the side is 22 and if we can play like that we have a very bright future. I was very proud of our boys today.”

And it was Coventry who dominated the opening period. The visitors opened the scoring on 12 minutes when Thomas Harris was worked into space to race over in the left corner and shortly after the Cov pack sucked in enough defenders for inside-centre Jack Green to cross for a 10-0 lead.

Sam Windsor answered with a penalty, only for Coventry blind-side Matthew Tibbatts to cross for a converted try after a number of pick and drives, but the penalty try awarded after the Blackheath pack had driven twenty metres prior to the interval hinted at better to come from the hosts.

And so it would prove. Four minutes after the re-start for the second period, Club skipper Jack Knight was driven over from a line-out and Blackheath took a 20-17 lead on 49 minutes when centre Richard Lankshear’s break through the midfield saw prop James Cleverly cross.

Coventry responded by creating a two-man overlap for Harris to score a second and on 68 minutes a deflection from a kick off the back of the ruck allowed the Cov left-wing to complete his hat-trick with the final points of the match, levelling the scores after Club second-row Neil Dewale’s try had once again given the hosts the advantage.

“For a bystander I thought it was an entertaining game and I was encouraged by our second half performance,” said Club Performance Director Yusuf Ibrahim afterwards.

“Overall though, I thought Coventry deserved it for their endeavour in the first period.”

Blackheath Tries: Penalty try, Knight, Cleverly, Dewale. Conv: Windsor 2. Pens: Windsor 2

Coventry Tries: Harris 3, Green, Tibbatts. Conv: Richards