RUGBY UNION: A DOMINANT all-round performance helped Coventry Rugby secure a crushing 64-0 win against Fylde.
Rowland Winter’s men took charge of the game from the start to maintain their position at the top of the National League One table.
Saturday’s win came within two points of the club beating its own record win on the road, which still stands as a 73-8 win achieved last season.
A young Fylde squad, currently at the foot of the table, weren’t helped by a penalty count of 14-4 against them. Two yellow cards also hurt the home side.
Another boost to Winter’s confidence within his squad was the positive display from a number of academy players.
It took Coventry just three minutes to register their first try when Tom Emery outpaced Fylde’s defence to earn Coventry a five-point lead.
Fylde were briefly in Coventry’s half, but Winter’s men soon restored dominance as a kick into the home side’s 22 led to a second try, this time converted.
Jack Preece scored Coventry’s third try on 16 minutes while Maisey’s conversion attempt went wide.
Skipper Heath Stevens added Coventry’s fourth before one-way traffic continued with two more Coventry tries before the break.
A dominant first half led Winter to make some youthful changes to his side for the second half.
Fylde’s cause wasn’t helped when No.8 David Fairbrother received a yellow card for a high tackle.
The man advantage proved costly for the home side as Tom Emery claimed his second try.
Fylde’s Jake Pope was then carded, again gifting Coventry an extra man advantage.
Tolmie completed his hat-trick for Coventry while Emery scored another try from kick-off.
Try number ten came minutes later when Stevens crossed over again, Palmer’s conversion made it 64-0 and ended Coventry’s biggest win of the season.
Rowland Winter said after the game: “Our discipline was key. The first 20 minutes was important and we didn’t give away our first penalty until around 35 minutes.
“But also our defence was outstanding today.
“To stop Fylde scoring a point at their own place given their reputation and their style of rugby, how they like to play and all the talent they have, is probably the biggest thing we’re taking out.
“To have a big zero on the board meant a lot to the boys, the way Anthony Matoto and James Stokes combined to keep them out desperately at the end showed that.
“The other real positive for me is that we’ve debuted three young players in James Neal, Luc Jeannot and Gabriel Oghre. They’ve done really well.”
