COVENTRY Rugby were denied a memorable comeback win away at Premiership side Gloucester after conceding a last gasp to suffer a 32-31 defeat.
Cov’s Premiership Rugby Cup campaign came to an end despite the best efforts of their bench with the visitors 27-12 behind on the hour mark at Kingsholm.
However, George Smith, Ryan Hutler and Will Wand all crossed for tries in a 12-minute blitz, after Will Chudley and Jimmy Martin touched down in the first half, to turn the game in Coventry’s favour.
After Coventry lost replacement hooker Suva Ma’asi to the sin bin, Gloucester eventually forced their way over the line in the dying moments as Jack Reeves finished in the corner for the game-winning try.
Alex Rae’s men scored the first try of the match after just three minutes when Chudley darted through a gap from eight-metres out with Evan Mitchell adding the extras.
However, Gloucester responded with two tries in the space of seven minutes as Louis Hillman-Cooper and Alex Hearle crossed for near identical tries with Scotland international Adam Hastings converting the second score.
Coventry ran in their second try on 31 minutes as Martin raced to the line after gathering Mitchell’s inch-perfect kick only for Gloucester to strike through Jack Clement from a lineout.
And Gloucester extended their lead through George Barton’s simple penalty before the same player converted Clement’s second try of the match.
However, Smith’s close range effort just past the hour mark gave Coventry hope before Hutler finished a fine move on the blindside to close the gap to a single score.
And Wand dotted down Coventry’s fifth try just four minutes later to complete a stunning comeback with Mitchell’s conversion taking the visitors into a four-point lead.
However, there was still time for Gloucester to snatch the points as Reeves raced to the corner with Ma’asi in the sin bin to break Cov hearts in the final minute.
