So close and yet so far away for Hartpury’s heroes
By Edward Hartley at Butts Park Arena
Hartpury battled until the final minute in freezing conditions at Coventry’s Butts Park Arena before losing to the Midlanders at the death.
With Storm Darragh playing havoc across the country, and causing swirling gusty conditions over the pitch, John Barnes’ side found a way to dominate the game in numerous areas, particularly the scrum which is where tough weather games are often decided.
Coventry started strong and within four minutes took the lead through the hands of No.8 Tiki Nayalo.
Coventry had a brief moment where they were able to get into a really dangerous position.
However, an optimistic behind-the-back pass attempt from Coventry fullback Liam Richman - who freshly returned from injury - ended the scoring chance.
Hartpury reverted to their set-piece power, particularly in their own 22, winning scrum penalties and driving the Midlanders back.
Another two consecutive Hartpury penalties, one at a scrum and the other during a maul gave Hartpury some great momentum in the middle of the first half.
It was after this extended period of pressure from Hartpury ended with their first points of the afternoon.
A penalty kick by fly-half Harry Bazalgette on the half-hour mark got Hartpury on the score-board.
After a brief period of wild and frantic open play, Nayalo entered the breakdown illegally and was sent to the sin-bin.
Hartpury took the lead with a try from loosehead Aristot Benz-Salomon after a close-range lineout. Bazalgette converted to give the university outfit a 10-7 half-time lead.
Coventry conceded 10 penalties early in the second-half, and when the home-side were penalised for yet another scrum on their own 22-metre line, the in-form Bazalgette extended Hartpury’s advantage to five points with a well-struck kick despite the tough conditions.
The playmaker had the chance to extend Hartpury’s lead even further when Cov’s front row infringed for a fifth time. But a penalty kick on the 53rd minute was narrowly wide from 45 metres out.
Coventry had an extended period of really attacking rugby that left them within fine metres of the Hartpury line numerous times as the game went over the hour-mark.
This period was interrupted by a break from Hartpury winger Oli Holliday, the flyer almost took the ball the full length of the pitch to scored at the far end but crucially came up short.
Coventry’s bench gave them renewed energy, which was magnified when Holliday sin-binned on the 77th minute for a technical foul.
Hartpury held a tentative six-point lead until final push from Coventry proved to be too strong and an excellent finish from ex-Cardiff Met centre Dafydd-Rhys Tiueti’s gave the Championship league leaders the victory, and kept their unbeaten run going despite a tight and at times tantalising battle.
Hartpury hooker Ethan Hunt said: “We managed the game a little bit better, kicking-wise in the first half, and our defence was pretty ruthless. I think we kept them out pretty well for most of the second half but then they swooped in at 79 minutes.”
Looking ahead, Hunt added: “I think we're feeling pretty positive, obviously it's a tough loss. But it's a good performance to build on for next week and the next few weeks leading into Christmas.”
Coventry head coach Alex Rae said: “The conditions were really tough with the majority of the game played down one side of the pitch. Credit to both teams for playing as they did.”
Coventry:
Penalties conceded: 12
Line-outs won: 9
Line-outs lost: 6
Scrums won: 3
Scrums lost: 0
Sin-bins: 1
Hartpury:
Penalties conceded: 15
Line-outs won: 11
Line-outs lost: 5
Scrums won: 5
Scrums lost: 0
Sin-bins: 1
Coventry:
Tries: Nayalo 4, Tiueti 79
Conversions: Richman 5, 80
Penalties:
Drop Goals:
Hartpury:
Tries: A Benz-Salamon 34
Conversions: Bazalgette 34
Penalties: Bazalgette 30, 49
Drop Goals:
Team line-ups (15-9; 1-8):
Coventry: Richman; Hutler, Tiueti, Hitchcock, Martin; Mathews (Opoku 49), Barton (Lane 49); Trinder (Warren 65), Poole (Biggs 65), Johnson (Salt 65); Tyas, Nkwocha (Anstey 58); Hinkley, (Owen 55) Kvesic (Okeke 58), Nayalo
Not used: N/A
Hartpury: Morgan; Holiday, Edwards-Giraud, Smith (Taylor 70), Johnson; Bazalgette, Austin; A.Benz-Salomon (McArthur 60), Hunt (Crane 65), J.Benz-Salomon (Rees 70); Cobbett (Lemon 62), Davies; Lewis, Short (Beddall 70), Cowan
Not used: Jones, Denty
Referee: Sara Cox (RFU)
Attendance: 2,707
Half-time: 07 – 10 (to Hartpury)
Star man: Aristot Benz-Salomon (Hartpury)
