COVENTRY Rugby’s season came to an abrupt end following a 58-24 defeat against Bedford Blues in the Champ Rugby play-off semi-finals.
Alex Rae’s side ran in four tries at Goldington Road only for Bedford to blitz the visitors with a devastating second-half spell.
The visitors led by two points at the break courtesy of tries from Sam Maunder and Jack Reeves after former Coventry player Ryan Hutler dotted down for Bedford.
And after Will Maisey kicked Bedford into the lead, Hutler crossed for a second try before Alex Day quickly increased Bedford’s lead.
Reeves scored a second try to keep Coventry in the contest only for Bedford to score four tries in the space of nine minutes to take the game out of the away side’s reach.
Archie Benson, Maisey, Toby Thame and Dean Adamson all crossed for Bedford before Tom Ball scored at the death for Coventry.
Bedford finished as league runners-up in the regular season with Coventry just one place and four points below the Blues in the table.
Coventry scored the game’s first try on four minutes when Maunder burrowed over after Bedford failed to claim the ball at their own lineout.
Bedford responded with a penalty as Maisey successfully took aim at the posts before Hutler dotted down on 14 minutes after he intercepted a loose pass and sprinted the length of the pitch to score.
The visitors reclaimed the lead on 26 minutes when Reeves danced through the line and under the posts from Jordon Poole’s offload and Josh Thomas converted.
Coventry took a narrow two-point lead into the break as Maisey kicked a penalty two minutes into the second period to edge Bedford ahead.
And Hutler crossed for his second try on 49 minutes after Adamson collected his own chip ahead and fed the former to score down the left.
The Blues struck again straight from the restart as Bedford captain Day put the home side into a commanding 15-point lead.
Maisey added a penalty to stretch Bedford’s lead before Reeves scored his second try on 58 minutes from Tommy Mathews’ grubber kick as the latter converted.
However, Bedford responded with a fourth try on 61 minutes when Alex Woolford charged down a clearing kick and Benson crossed.
And former Coventry fly-half Maisey scored under the posts just two minutes later as he finished the game with a 28-point individual haul.
The tries continued to flow as replacement Thame dotted down on 68 minutes before Adamson crossed a minute later and Maisey stayed perfect from the kicking tee from nine attempts.
Coventry fought until the end as Ball crossed in the final minute from close range as the club’s season ended one game short of the play-off final.
