Nayalo’s quickfire double gets Cov off to flier

COVENTRY shrugged off two enforced changes in the warm-up to just about retain control of this ninetry thriller at The Bay.

With a strong wind at their backs the visitors showed poise and purpose to lead by three converted tries without reply at the break but the Championship’s backmarkers showed significant improvement to rack up a try-scoring bonus point in the second half.

Flanker Senitiki Nayalo secured the first two for Coventry and set the tone

for victory with a series of powerful carries, helping his side to create the kind of impetus that Nottingham lacked at the sharp end.

The hosts went within a whisker of opening the scoring but Harry Graham could not quite dab down from a clever dink over the

top with last-ditch call-up Rob Knox intervening at the crucial moment.

Coventry opened the scoring when a driving maul created space for Nayalo to saunter through.

Nottingham paid the price for conceding cheap penalties and a scrum just short of the try-line teed up Nayalo’s second, his clever decision to jump over low tackles outfoxing Nottingham’s determined last-ditch efforts.

Jordan Coghlan paid for his side’s multitude of indiscretions just before the break and Nottingham could not hold out down to 14 men.

Jordon Poole, recently drafted in from Exeter and starting due to injury at the 11th hour, touched down and Tony Fenner, who had landed all three conversions, including a particularly tricky second, extended the lead with a straightforward penalty early in the second half.

Graham made the most of hesitancy over a suspected forward pass to cut through and he then just about grasped Michael Stronge’s clever chip to add a second two minutes later.

Cov hit back in controversial circumstances, Stronge believing the ball was still in the scrum when it was taken off his toe for Poole to land on the ball as it crossed the line.

Undeterred, Nottingham ended a lengthy spell of pressure with Luke Frost’s smart spin and score but the chance to pile on the pressure was wasted as Alex Dolly’s simple conversion hit the post.

It was game on when Luke Mehson’s surge created the chaos that led to Sean Evans getting over with three minutes to go but that grandstand finish was curtailed when Coventry captain Ryan Burrows jinked in and out before releasing James Martin to ensure the win.