By Peter Walford
May 19 2005

Coventry were held to a draw at the Butts Park Arena after No.8 Dan Farani was sent off for a high tackle. The visitors put up a tough fight in the dying minutes scoring two last gasp tries, the second un-converted.

2 League Points Stolen off Cov

 

What could have been the most important (and impressive) win so far this season for Cov, turned out to be a creditable result against Plymouth.  For the first half, Coventry once again played the opposition off the park, and will undoubtedly be disappointed with their handling, that with the try line begging to be breached.  No one player was to blame, either passes slightly too low, far ahead or behind contrived to rob Coventry of a serious first half lead.  The second half left all the tension to the last 10 minutes.

 

Coventry, kicking towards the railway end, took the game to Plymouth from the onset, running the ball and looking for Richards, Fifita and Jones, coming into the line at full-back, to test the Plymouth defence out wide.  With three minutes on the clock, Cov showed their intention of going for the try line with a kick to touch 5m off the try line from a deliberate knock-on (had Plymouth considered disrupting Cov’s open play) though the line out was won and the ball fed infield only to be ended by a disallowed try for a double movement under the posts.  The pressure in the first 10 minutes was kept up by Higgins’ probing kicks over the Plymouth backs forcing Plymouth to kick for touch clearances off the resulting line outs.  Further knock-ons in promising positions held the Cov onslaught from going over for the opening score.  After a quarter of an hour, Plymouth managed to get into the Coventry half but were forced into touch on the 22 which was not to be first time this happened.  The Coventry defence was holding firm with plenty of hard tackles going in on the gain line from rucks to nullify the pick and drive of the Plymouth forwards.  17 minutes gone in the first half and still no score with Cov dominant, they held firm against a Plymouth scrum and following a turnover, the ball was flyhacked forward with Dan Farini and Pila Fifita in hot pursuit.  The defence closed in with Farini hacking the ball nearer the try line, Fifita a yard behind took the ball on the bounce and over the line – cue stadium eruption but the ref had other ideas instead giving a Plymouth penalty for Fifita being in front of the kicker.  Undaunted Cov kept up the pressure on the Plymouth try line forcing a penalty inside the Plymouth 22.  Shaun Perry took a quick tap and go but was abruptly stopped by the Plymouth 2^nd row (ironically) Andy Perry.  The ref required no hesitation to show the yellow card.  The subsequent penalty kick was put into touch 10m from the Plymouth line, Rich Protherough found his jumper who tapped down to Adrian Olver, peeling round to crash over the line with two defenders clinging on.  John Higgins confidently added the extra points with the conversion.

 

21 minutes: Coventry 7 – 0 Plymouth

 

Following the restart, Plymouth forced a lineout on the Cov 22but were denied and Cov mauled the ball back to the halfway beating the Plymouth forwards at their own game.  At this point Plymouth’s loosehead prop went off injured.  Fifita kept up the pressure making ground back up to Cov’s 10m after a quick free kick from calling a Mark.  A scrum for a Plymouth knock-on led to a blindside move which resulted in Fifita being desperately bundled into touch near the Plymouth line.  The lineout was then stolen by Coventry but frustratingly again taken into touch.  No further points were added with Plymouth down to 14 men but shortly after full numbers were restored, Cov won their own lineout on the right just inside the Plymouth half and fed quick ball to the centres where support play allowed Fifita to take the ball over the line left of the posts.  Higgins was unable to add the conversion just pushing the ball across the face of the posts.

 

32 minutes: Coventry 12 – 0 Plymouth

 

With 5 minutes left of the half, Plymouth finally got their rolling maul going advancing 10m before the Coventry defence held once more putting the Plymouth attack into touch.  On the stroke of half-time, Cov were penalised just inside their 22, which Pritchard, Plymouth full back chose to kick and pulled 3 points back.  No further score in the first half and Supporters were left to rue missed chances for Cov whereas Plymouth had not looked at all likely to cross the Coventry line despite the few forays into the Coventry half.

 

Half Time:            Coventry         12

                          Plymouth         3

 

The second half started with no substitutions by either Cov or Plymouth during the break but the opening 5 minutes were scrappy with Cov safely clearing through Higgins and Craig Richards darting 50m through would-be tacklers after collecting the ball on his own line.  Shaun Perry, having a cracking game looking for those half breaks, found one and set off down the right wing in front of the main stand only to put a foot in touch with the full back to beat.  Richards again return a Plymouth clearance though from resulting phases the ball is (again) knocked on.

 

With a knock-on against Cov, the Plymouth scrum is won by Plymouth and a few plays later, Pritchard broke the Cov line and crossed from 5m out, converting himself.

 

51 minutes: Coventry 12 – 10 Plymouth

 

Nick Cox replaced Kisi Pulu but Plymouth picked their game up at this point and started to spend more time within the Cov half, though at this point the Plymouth maul went further across the pitch than it did forward.  58 minutes and Paul Clapham came on for James Percival for Cov.  A minute later, Cov attacked leaving a 3 on 2 overlap on the left though Fifita was unable to hold onto the final pass.  With 20 minutes left Cov had a lineout 23m from the Plymouth line following a Plymouth kick straight into touch.  The lineout won by Cov took play into the centre of the pitch inside the 22, Shaun Perry took the initiative spotting a gap at the ruck edge, selling the dummy to the whole Plymouth back line, scorched through the gap on an arcing run and under the posts.  The conversion was successful by Higgins.  Afterwards in the radio interview Perry admitted a set move had been called but the gap was too tempting to resist!

 

61 minutes: Coventry 19 – 10 Plymouth

 

With the gap now 9 points, and two tries required for a Plymouth win, once more they pressed forward and within 5 minutes Coventry strayed offside in their own 22.  Pritchard accepting the 3 points on offer.

 

65 minutes: Coventry 19 – 13 Plymouth.

 

A series of substitutions by Cov, meant Higgins, Henno Venter and John Cannon (injured in a tackle after the whistle had gone) made way for Richard Davies, Mike Buckingham and Donovan Sanders respectively.  With 8 minutes of normal time left, Cov forced a lineout on the Plymouth 22 and taking the Plymouth forwards on at their own game, mauled to the line but despite several short range charges were awarded a 5m attacking scrum allowing Dave Addleton to enter the fray in place of Rich Protherough.  The 75^th minute, close range drives from Cov brought a penalty just to the left of the posts, Cov electing to kick at goal collected the points from the boot of Davies.

 

75 minutes: Coventry 22 – 13 Plymouth

 

Surely Cov had done enough to secure the win with the lead back to 9 and less than 5 minutes to go.  Even better news followed, the Plymouth backs offside in their half and Davies added his second penalty from 30m out head on to the posts.

 

80 minutes: Coventry 25 – 13 Plymouth

 

12 point lead and only injury time to play out – no problems or at least it shouldn’t have been.  Where the 9 injury time minutes came from – I don’t know but Plymouth never gave up.  Dan Farini was shown the red card for a high tackle in the middle of the pitch on halfway but before that Plymouth had started to claw their way back.  A scrum on the Cov 22 lead to a blindside try, converted by Pritchard.  Plymouth renewed by their one-man advantage pressed forward again but a penalty kick to the corner and everyone in the stadium knew what was coming.  Their reputation preceded them and having stood firm to the ‘large’ Plymouth rolling maul, for the majority of the game, Cov seemed to buckle along with the ability of Plymouth forwards to stay on their feet.  Pretty it wasn’t but Plymouth angled and weaved their way to the try line with the help of a couple of advantages from the ref.  The crowd in the corner were incensed by one or two things in those phases of play and showed their displeasure when the try was awarded.  Whether justice was served but Pritchard pushed the conversion, the last kick of the match, wide.

 

Full Time            Coventry                        25

                        Plymouth                        25

 

On this display, Cov have plenty to be pleased about, still unbeaten in 2005 and displaying attacking threat from all areas.  Shaun Perry stood out a mile for his continuing threat around the ruck and maul but Nik Witkowski seemed to be on the shoulder of all breaks made including the build up for Perry’s try.  Plymouth on the other hand were stopped far too easily and only the last few minutes got the rolling maul working properly.  Not once in the game were Cov behind and neither could you say Plymouth performed as a top three side who deserved to win.

Other results:

Bedford 16-17 London Welsh

Pertemps Bees 0-23 Bristol

Henley 12-13 Otley

Nottingham 19-12 Rotherham

Orrell 25-36 Exeter