COVENTRY Rugby saw their six-game winning run come to an end following a 33-26 defeat at Nottingham in the second edition of the Matt Gallagher Cup.
Alex Rae’s side raced into an early lead as Allan Ferrie and Aristot Benz-Salomon crossed inside the first 10 minutes for the visitors at Lady Bay.
However, Nottingham responded with three unanswered tries as Kegan Christian-Goss crossed twice while James Cherry also touched down.
Coventry secured two bonus point from the fixture as Tom Bacon and Murray Davidson both dotted down for the visitors.
But tries from Will Yarnell and Gwyn Parks, either side of Davidson’s try, brought an end to the away side’s winning run.
The result means Coventry sit fourth in the Champ Rugby table, five points behind Bedford Blues in second.
Coventry scored the game’s first try after just seven minutes as Ferrie dove on the loose ball from Jack Reeves’ grubber kick.
And Rae’s side crossed again three minutes later when Benz-Salomon crashed over from close range following a 40-metre break from Jordon Poole.
Nottingham responded on 20 minutes as Christian-Goss powered over from close to the line to keep the home side in the contest.
The hosts struck again on 34 minutes when Cherry forced his way over the line following several phases.
And Christian-Goss scored his second try of the game on the stroke of half time to send Nottingham into the break with a nine-point lead.
Coventry responded after the break on 52 minutes when Bacon stepped his way past two defenders to dot down.
Nottingham restored the gap between the two teams on 66 minutes as Yarnell finished off a flowing move under the posts.
However, Coventry scored a bonus point try four minutes later when Davidson powered over from a lineout maul to close the gap to two points.
The home side all but sealed the points two minutes from time as Parks finished out wide to stretch Nottingham’s lead.
Coventry are next in action against Cambridge on Friday, April 17 with kick-off at 8pm at the Nick Newbold Stadium.
