Cov’s stormers told they have to keep foot on pedal all game
EIGHT first-half Coventry tries effectively ended the game as a contest as they ran riot against visiting Macclesfield, who were brought back to earth in their third game since returning to the division.
With Will Maisey adding seven conversions, Cov were out of sight at the break with a 54-7 lead.
Director of rugby Rowland Winter, though, was disappointed with his side’s second-half performance as they allowed Macclesfield back into the game and tried to play too much rugby from deep positions.
“We haven’t performed for 80 minutes yet,” said Winter.
“Pre-season against Newport we slipped off in the second half after scoring a lot of points and the same thing happened against Loughborough two weeks ago.
“The message we gave the boys at half-time was not to take their foot off the gas.
“We wanted an 80minute performance and we’re still left searching for that.
“Games of rugby aren’t won in 40 minutes. We have three tough games coming up in the next three weeks, and if we perform for only 40 or 50 minutes, we will be in trouble.
“Yes, we scored some nice team and individual tries and Macclesfield deserve credit for their second half, but there is still a lot of work to do and we are so far off where we need to be at the moment.”
Scott Tolmie opened the scoring for Cov in the third minute, touching down from a line-out drive, with Maisey converting.
Cov had their bonus point wrapped up inside the opening quarter, with some scintillating play producing further tries from Eoghan Grace, a penalty try for a collapsed maul and Brett Daynes. Two of them were-improved by Maisey for a 26-0 lead.
The carnage continued, with Corey Hircock racing over in the left corner.
Though Simon Moss
pulled back a try for Macclesfield, with Matt Bradley converting, Tolmie and Darrell Dyer claimed two more for Cov before Rob Knox produced a 70metre run to claim their eighth try and crown a stunning 40 minutes.
In stark contrast, the third quarter was stagnant.
Though a piece of individual brilliance enabled James Stokes to go over for Cov’s ninth try after 62 minutes, a sloppy line-out gifted a try to Ryan Parkinson, with Bradley’s conversion giving Macclesfield a deserved share of the second half.
“This is probably the reality check we needed as a group,” said Macclesfield director of rugby Giles Heagerty. “After losing narrowly at Esher and a good win over Fylde, it was important that we keep our feet on the ground. Credit to Coventry, but we made it a little too easy for them.”