COVENTRY Rugby scored six tries in vain in a high-scoring 55-38 defeat against champions Ealing Trailfinders.
Both Jordon Poole and Suva Ma’asi crossed twice while Senitiki Nayalo also touched down for the visitors at Trailfinders Sports Club.
The referee also awarded Coventry a penalty try only for Ealing to run in nine tries of their own in a points fest in the capital.
And the result means Alex Rae’s side sit sixth in the Championship table with one fixture left to play.
Ealing scored the game’s first try after just eight minutes when Will Montgomery powered over and Will Jones kicked the extras.
However, Coventry responded four minutes later as Poole dotted down after good work from Nayalo following a scrum.
The home side reclaimed the lead two minutes later when Michael Dykes pounced to score in the left corner after Jake Henry failed to gather a high ball.
And Ealing struck again on 25 minutes as Dykes scored his second try of the game following a powerful carry from Jordan Holgate with Jones kicking the conversion.
However, Rae’s side kept themselves in the contest three minutes later when Nayalo forced his way through a crowd of bodies to dot down and Tommy Mathews converted.
A thrilling first-half continued on 34 minutes as Jordy Reid dove over from a quickly-taken lineout and Jones kicked the extras.
Coventry reduced the deficit to seven points at the interval on the stroke of half time with a penalty try while Ealing also lost Montgomery to the sin-bin.
And the visitors closed the gap to two points on 45 minutes when Poole scored his second try of the game and Mathews converted.
However, Ealing scored four tries in an 11-minute burst to take the game out of Coventry’s reach.
A fine team move allowed Francis Moore to dot down on 53 minutes before Kabous Bezuidenhout crossed again three minutes later with Jones converting both scores.
And Matt Cornish finished off a catch and drive on 59 minutes before Moore scored his second of the game on 63 minutes to leave Coventry stunned.
Cornish scored a second try with 10 minutes left to play before Ma’asi dotted down twice for the visitors in the space of five minutes with Mathews twice adding the extras.
Coventry finish the season with a home game against London Scottish on Saturday, May 31 with kick-off at 3pm at Butts Park Arena.
