EVAN Mitchell starred with a 15-point individual haul as Coventry Rugby secured a bonus point 35-19 victory away at Hartpury in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
Mitchell kicked five conversions and scored a try of his own as Ryan Hutler crossed for two tries while Lucas Titherington and Paddy Ryan also dotted down at Alpas Arena.
The result means Coventry now sit second in Pool A behind leaders Gloucester with the Championship club on the verge of securing a quarter-final place.
Cov took the lead on six minutes when centre Titherington combined well with Will Chudley to finish a perfectly executed set play from a lineout with Mitchell adding the extras.
And Mitchell swiftly added Coventry’s second try after stretching beyond the reach of Hartpury hooker Ethan Hunt before converting his own score.
A pair of forward passes denied both teams a try before Paddy Ryan crossed at the start of the second half on 43 minutes, twisting past the last defender to touch down as Mitchell added the extras.
And Coventry struck again after a long spell of pressure in the Hartpury half as Hutler scored the away side’s bonus point try from Chudley’s excellent chip ahead as Mitchell kicked the conversion.
Hartpury finally troubled the scoreboard when Harry Short crossed the line and Nathan Chamberlain converted before a penalty try further reduced the deficit.
That led to Cov full back Louis James being sent to the sin bin after illegally preventing scrum-half Oscar Lennon from grounding his own chip ahead.
Despite playing with a man down, Alex Rae’s side crossed for one final try as Hutler finished well following an excellent break from debutant back-rower Chester Owen.
Hartpury scored their third try from the final play of the match when Will Crane drove over but it proved too little too late as Cov ended a run of six straight defeats at the home side’s Alpas Arena ground.
Coventry are next in action at home to Nottingham on Saturday, September 30 with kick-off at 4pm at Butts Park Arena.
