COVENTRY Rugby claimed a thrilling 35-30 victory against Bedford Blues to secure their first win of the new season.
Tries from Tom Bacon, Peter Sullivan, Morgan Strong and Josh Thomas sealed a bonus point win for Alex Rae’s side at Butts Park Arena.
The result means Coventry sit ninth in the Champ Rugby table after two matches.
Coventry scored the game’s first try after just nine minutes as Bacon touched down following a length-of-the-pitch counter attack after a Bedford overthrow at a lineout.
Bedford reduced the deficit later in the first half as former Coventry player Will Maisey kicked a penalty after the referee penalised Jack Shine for a knock-on.
However, Coventry restored their seven-point lead soon after as Thomas slotted a penalty between the sticks following sustained pressure on the Bedford line.
The visitors kicked a second penalty as Maisey added three points to the away side’s tally after Coventry were penalised for obstruction.
And Bedford took the lead on 29 minutes when Oisin Heffernan crashed over to score the away side’s first try.
Bedford struck again five minutes later as Nicholas Finch finished a slick passing move to put the visitors into an eight-point lead.
Coventry responded one minute before half time when Sullivan dotted down in the corner to close the gap to a single point at the break.
However, the home side lost scrum-half Sam Maunder for 20 minutes early in the second period following a head-on-head collision.
Despite playing with a man less, Coventry reclaimed the lead on 46 minutes as Strong collected Josh Barton’s offload and powered over the line.
And Thomas touched down on 54 minutes to score Coventry’s bonus point try only for Bedford to cross two minutes later as Dean Adamson scored a fine solo try.
Another Thomas penalty stretched Coventry’s lead to seven points only for Rory Ward to dive over for Bedford.
However, Maisey could not add the extras to draw the game level before Thomas kicked a penalty to extend Coventry’s lead and seal a hard-fought victory.
