COVENTRY Rugby overturned a 14-point deficit to win 45-37 on the club’s first-ever trip to Chinnor.
Tries from Jordon Poole, Daf Tiueti, Toby Trinder, Dan Green and Mackenzie Graham, along with a penalty try, earned Coventry a bonus point win at Kingsey Road.
The result means Coventry remain third in the Championship table.
Alex Rae’s side made the worst possible start as Tom Watson ran in the game’s opening try from 60-metres out inside the first minute.
However, the visitors responded four minutes later when Poole charged down a clearing kick and Green dotted down.
Chinnor fly-half Nathan Chamberlain kicked a penalty to put the home side back in front before Coventry lost Tom Ball to the sin-bin.
And the hosts made the most of the man advantage almost immediately when Luke Carter crossed for a close-range try.
A Tommy Mathews penalty reduced the deficit only for Rob Hardwick to touch down the home side’s third try following a series of pick-and-drives.
However, Cov halved the deficit when Trinder crossed from a five-metre scrum before the referee awarded the visitors a penalty try on the stroke of half time.
The visitors also lost Grant Hughes to the sin-bin as the teams went into the break locked at 24-apiece.
And both teams already had a player in the sin-bin with Chinnor’s Watson and Cov’s Billy Nairau awaiting to return to the pitch.
This meant Cov would start the second period with a 14 on 13 advantage.
And Rae’s men took the lead five minutes after the interval as Poole finished off a flowing move which began with Tom Hitchcock from under his own posts.
Another Chamberlain penalty kept Chinnor in the contest before Tiueti dotted down for Cov and Cameron Rafferty touched down for Chinnor.
However, on-loan Bath forward Graham used his pace to score Cov’s sixth try just past the hour mark.
Chinnor had the last laugh as Kieran Goss touched down in the corner in the final minute with the home side unable to convert from the touchline to miss out on an extra bonus point.
Coventry are next in action against Caldy on Saturday, April 5 with kick-off at 3pm at Butts Park Arena.
