COVENTRY Rugby conceded a try on the last play of the game as Alex Rae’s side suffered a cruel 24-21 defeat against Doncaster Knights.
With the visitors closing in on back-to-back wins for the first time this season, Russell Bennett crossed for a try with seconds remaining at Castle Park.
That came after Peter Roberts and Bennett touched down before the half-hour mark to put Doncaster into a 14-point lead.
However, tries from Morgan Strong and David Opoku-Fordjour saw Coventry level the game at the break.
Bennett kicked a penalty to put the Knights back in front only for Jordon Poole’s try to put the visitors ahead for the first time.
However, Bennett’s second try of the game at the death saw Coventry come away from the fixture with a single losing bonus point.
The result means Coventry sit ninth in the Champ Rugby table with three wins and five defeats from eight matches.
Doncaster scored the game’s first try after just five minutes when Roberts dotted down following a powerful driving maul close to the Coventry line.
Rae’s men looked to respond only for Opoku-Fordjour to lose the ball close to the line in torrential and greasy conditions.
And Coventry spurned another scoring chance when Morgan Adderly-Jones lost the ball as he reached for the line following a fine dummy and step.
Doncaster made Coventry pay for those missed chances on 27 minutes as Bennett slipped through two tackles to run in unopposed.
However, the visitors responded on the half-hour mark when Strong emerged with the ball from a powerful driving maul.
And Coventry levelled the game five minutes later as Opoku-Fordjour dotted down from Tommy Mathews’ pass to send the teams in all square at the break.
The home side reclaimed the lead four minutes into the second half when Bennett kicked a penalty from distance.
However, Coventry took the lead for the first time on 47 minutes as captain Poole forced his way over from the back of a driving maul.
The visitors lost Aristot Benz-Salomon to a yellow card soon after for persistent infringements as Coventry withstood heavy Doncaster pressure.
However, Doncaster eventually scored the game-winning try in the final few seconds as Bennett juggled a pass before scoring under the posts.
Bennett converted his own try to finish the game with a 19-point individual haul.
Coventry are next in action against London Scottish on Saturday, December 6 with kick-off at 3pm at Butts Park Arena.
