COVENTRY Rugby suffered a 50-23 defeat against Northampton Saints in a blow to the club’s hopes of reaching the Premiership Rugby Cup quarter-finals.
The visitors trailed by six points at the break before the Premiership champions ran away with the game in the second half at Franklin’s Gardens.
Tries from Jimmy Martin, David Opoku and Tom Hitchcock proved in vain for Alex Rae’s side while Tommy Mathews added eight points from the kicking tee.
The defeat means Cov must beat Leicester Tigers in their final pool game and hope other results go their way to finish as one of the three best runners-up.
Saints scored the game’s first try on 16 minutes as the home side drove Josh Kemeny over the line from close range, converted by George Makepeace-Cubitt.
Cov reduced the deficit when Mathews kicked a penalty only for Angus Scott-Young to cross for Northampton’s second try.
However, Rae’s men scored their first try on 33 minutes as Martin dotted down under the posts after decoy runners created space for the winger following a scrum and Mathews converted.
Saints responded three minutes later as Tom Lockett dragged two Cov players over the line with him to score the home side’s third try.
However, another Mathews penalty closed the gap to a single score at the break with Northampton’s Ed Prowse sent to the sin-bin for illegally stopping a quick tap.
Despite playing with a man less, Saints scored their bonus point try four minutes into the second half when Tom Seabrook touched down in the corner.
Cov responded well as Opoku produced a fine finish on 50 minutes before the visitors lost Obi Nkwocha to the sin-bin for a high tackle.
A penalty from Makepeace-Cubitt stretched Northampton’s lead before Billy Pasco finished off a 75-metre kick and chase to score his side’s fifth try.
And Saints then crossed twice in the space of four minutes as Will Glister and replacement Tom West both touched down.
Cov scored the game’s final try on 72 minutes when Hitchcock dotted down with the visitors unable to find a bonus point score in the remaining minutes.
Coventry are next in action against Leicester Tigers on Saturday, February 15 with kick-off at 3pm at Butts Park Arena.
