COVENTRY RFC scored seven tries to secure an impressive 45-17 bonus point Boxing Day win away at Nottingham to end the year on a high.
James Martin, Will Wand, Tom Dodd, Senitiki Nayalo, Josh Bainbridge and Will Lane all crossed for Coventry after a penalty try accounted for the visitors opening score at Lady Bay Sports Ground.
The result means Coventry end the year in third place in the RFU Championship table.
Coventry fell behind to Nathan Tweedy’s early try only for Alex Rae’s side to respond just minutes later when a driving maul was brought to the ground illegally and the visitors were awarded a penalty try with Nottingham’s David Williams sent to the sin bin.
And Coventry extended their lead with a sensational try soon after as Martin collected a delicious chip over the onrushing defensive line and raced to the line to score with Pat Pellegrini adding the extras.
The visitors added two more scores in quick succession with the first from Wand, who dotted down in the corner after some patient play through the phases, before Dodd scored Coventry’s bonus point try.
However, Nottingham kept themselves in the contest with a try before the break when Marcus Rammage crossed from a driving maul.
And Nottingham struck again through Harry Clayton from another driving maul at the start of the second period to reduce the deficit to seven points.
Rae’s side wrestled back momentum and dominated Nottingham in the scrum to overturn the ball and set up Nayalo to burst through a gap to score with Pellegrini converting.
And Coventry finally ended the game as a contest with two further tries as Bainbridge sped through the Nottingham defence to score before substitute Lane darted through a gap to dot down with Pellegrini adding the simple conversion.
Coventry are next in action at home to Jersey Reds on Saturday, January 14 with kick-off at 3pm at Butts Park Arena.
