Coventry vs Ealing Trailfinders

Match Report

Coventry came out on top against Ealing Trailfinders in a tense clash at Butts Park Arena this afternoon, winning 34-32.

Tries from Jonah Holmes, James Cordy-Redden, Craig Hampson and a brace from Nathan Earle meant Trailfinders travelled back to West London with two points.

Trailfinders remain top of the Championship table, ten points clear of Coventry in second.

It was an electric start from the visitors as they crossed the whitewash twice in the opening ten minutes. First on the scoresheet was Jonah Holmes, the full back went over untouched on the left hand side after some neat handling from the back line.

James Cordy-Redden doubled the lead minutes later, the ball was moved to the far left, he crashed over his opposite man and dotted down with an outstretched arm.

Coventry hit back with two tries of their own. Ollie Betterridge received the ball ten metres out and spotted a gap in the Trailfinders’ defensive line to score underneath the sticks and make it a straight forward seven pointer.

An overthrown Trailfinders’ line out collected by Jordon Poole put Coventry into the lead, with a try that was easier to score than not.

Nathan Earle scored his first of the afternoon when Craig Hampson sent a looping miss pass out to the right wing beating the cover defence.

After an assist five minutes before, it was time for Hampson to score a try of his own. The second rows combined as Bobby Dee charged down the field and passed out wide to Andrew Davidson, who eventually popped it inside to the scrum half.

Coventry had the last say in the first half, Jordon Poole scored his second of the match to make it a one point game at the break.

The West London outfit headed into the changing rooms 22-21 up.

Pat Pellegrini helped his side regain the lead shortly after the match resumed with a shot at goal from a relatively straight forward angle.

Ten minutes later, the Championship’s leading try scorer Matt Cornish added to his tally as he burrowed his way over after he broke from the back of a rolling maul.

The hosts put themselves back into the lead through James Martin, before Pellegrini added a further three points to extend their lead to seven.

With only two minutes remaining on the clock, Earle crossed the whitewash to get Trailfinders back within two points. The kick was pushed wide, but there was time for the restart and a final chance for the visitors.

After two successive penalties to get them into their opponents 22, Trailfinders knocked the ball on and Coventry kicked the ball out of the ground, which left the final score Coventry 34-32 Ealing

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