COVENTRY recorded back-to-back wins in National League One thanks to a comfortable 48-12 win on the road at Loughborough.
It was a third consecutive win for Coventry on the Loughborough campus and Saturday’s result was never remotely in doubt even with the assistance of the recently laid 3G pitch.
Coventry dominated from the outset and outgunned their opponents in every forward position with Loughborough only threatening on the rare occasion.
With Matt Jones kicking astutely for position, three early penalties were to bring 17 points in as many minutes.
Twice hooker Matt Price was driven over from effective driving mauls from close in line outs with the Students having no answer and Jones also kicked a penalty to add to his two conversions.
The visitors, in their away red and white jersey, remained in total control and try number three came courtesy of Wayne Evans with Jones judging the conversion against the cross-field wind to perfection for 24-0 on 26 minutes.
Loughborough to their credit battled into the Coventry 22 and got their first points on the ball thanks to flanker Will Allman who drove over but the difficult angle defeated the conversion attempt.
Coventry however were able to extend their lead before the break and secure a bonus point when a Jones kick found touch and eventually led to Tom Preece claiming his first try for the club.
The stadium announcer rather inappropriately chose an unfortunate time to make announcement to put Jones off his conversion but by that point Coventry were 29-5 in front.
Immediately after the break both Preece and Poole departed which saw Sam Pailor moved to the second row and a revamped back row saw George Oliver packing down at number eight with Devlin Hope and Alex Woodburn both coming on to play on the flanks.
Loughborough did apply a little pressure only for Jones to clear and after Scott Hamilton was held, a five-metre scrum followed and George Oliver controlled the ball well for try number five.
Cliffie Hodgson then received a controversial yellow card before Dom Lespierre lead a thrilling counter attack and was only to be foiled by a desperate tap tackle.
As Hodgson returned, Coventry remained a man down following Rob Knox’s yellow card before on 74 minutes a quite superb rolling maul again had the Students pack back pedalling and Andy Brown was able to claim the try which Hodgson converted in the absence of the departed Jones.
Four minutes later the dangerous Pons gained some measure of reward for Students with their second try whoch was converted well by James, only for Coventry to have the final say.
With Knox back on, it was the hard running centre who finished off with a lovely run in and Hodgson again converted to seal the most emphatic of victories.
