Knights knock Cov in bid to reach Cup final again

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COVENTRY’S bid to reach a second successive Championship Cup final suffered a shaky start as hosts Doncaster Knights produced a powerful second half display to take a maximum five points in Yorkshire.

Such a feat seemed highly unlikely following a pointless opening 40 minutes when both sides were hindered by the dismal, wet conditions that prompted a string of handling errors.

And while it was Cov who finally chalked up the first points of the game early in the second period, they were ultimately second best to Knights whose forwards took charge of proceedings.

Director of rugby Alex Rae rang the changes for Coventry’s opening cup fixture, among them Will Lane and Evan Mitchell filling the half-back positions with Louis James and James Martin on the wings and Will Talbotdavies in at full-back.

It needed some solid defending from the visitors to keep Doncaster at bay at times during a scrappy opening period with former Wasps Academy second row Ehize Ehizode proving a particular thorn in their side.

But it was Cov who made the breakthrough four minutes after the interval with a trademark try from the training ground as they drove a maul five metres over the line from where lock Rhys Thomas emerged with the ball. Mitchell kicked the extras.

That proved to be a brief highlight for the travelling supporters though as the home side duly took control and there was a Wasps connection with their first try, a driving maul which resulted in former Premiership lock Theo Vukasinovic going over on his debut.

Ten minutes later it was no8 Sam Daly who barged his way to the line after much of the hard work had been done by winger Joe Bedlow and fellow back-rower Jared Cardew.

There was still just three points between the two sides but it was Doncaster who wrapped the game up in convincing fashion.

With ten minutes to go another powerful surge from the forwards drove replacement prop George Roberts over the whitewash.

And there was still time for Daly to claim the four-try bonus following yet another driving maul from the lineout, Tom Parking slotting over the conversion.

Coventry head to Bedford Blues on Friday evening for their second cup clash.