RYAN Hutler scored a hat-trick as Coventry Rugby cruised to a convincing 54-19 win against Bedford.
Hutler’s treble was supported by tries from Patrick Pellegrini who finished with a 19-point individual haul, Tom Ball, Obinna Nkwocha, Jimmy Martin and Will Wand at Butts Park Arena.
The result means Coventry remain second in the Championship table, four points behind leaders Ealing Trailfinders who have a game in-hand, following a seventh consecutive victory.
Cov broke the deadlock after just seven minutes when Hutler intercepted a pass and dotted down under the posts against his former club with Pellegrini converting.
And the home side struck again on 19 minutes as Ball went over in the corner from Will Chudley’s pass after good work from Tobi Wilson and Martin.
Bedford responded with a try of their own when Louis Grimoldby forced his way over in the corner before Joseph Conway barged over from close range which the former converted to send the teams in level at the break.
However, Pellegrini scored a stunning individual try shortly after the interval as the Tongan international claimed a clearance kick on halfway before stepping past two defenders and racing to the corner before converting his own score.
Cov secured a bonus point on 48 minutes as Nkwocha went in under the posts in support of Adam Nicol’s powerful drive with Pellegrini adding the extras.
And Hutler doubled his tally for the game two minutes later when he received Chudley’s offload and outpaced the cover in a diagonal 40-metre finish as Pellegrini again converted.
Hutler completed his treble with Cov’s third try in the space of just nine minutes when he finished in the corner and Pellegrini added the extras.
Cov stretched their lead as Martin gathered a Bedford clearance before beating three defenders on his way to the line from 50-metres out and Pellegrini converted.
Bedford scored their third try with 10 minutes left to play when James Lennon reacted quickest to dart over from a penalty awarded close to the Cov line with Will Maisey converting.
However, the home side had the final say as Wand scooped up a loose ball in the Bedford 22 before finishing under the posts to score Cov’s eighth try of the game with Pellegrini adding the extras.
Coventry are next in action at home to London Scottish on Friday, May 3 with kick-off at 8pm at Butts Park Arena.
