Supreme Seals puts park into waters uncharted
MOWDEN Park secured a best-ever second place in the table as they ended champions Coventry’s unbeaten 25-game home record in style.
Cov led three times in a free-flowing game, but Park responded every time and fully deserved their win with fly-half Warren Seals pulling all the strings.
And after Park’s 42-0 drubbing when the two sides met in the north east, director of rugby Danny Brown was justifiably delighted.
“That was in the minds no matter how we tried to get away from it because the season’s been outstanding apart from that result,” said Brown.
“To come here and put in a performance like that against such a quality side like Coventry and take away their home record is great.
“It was a terrific game and credit to the boys for coming back after conceding two tries immediately after half-time.
“It’s the highest the club’s finished. This season was about seeing how good these boys are and they’ve proved themselves, so we’ll enjoy this and then next season is next season.”
Cov went ahead against the run of play, Scott Tolmie powering over from a lineout move and Will Maisey, who had missed an earlier penalty chance, adding the conversion.
But the lead lasted just two minutes, Callum MacKenzie going over in the left corner with Cov’s defence carved open, and Seals converted before doing the same when Mowden’s backs again found space on the left and Grant Connon powered over.
Maisey responded with a penalty and Cov went ahead for the second time approaching the break when they forced three scrum penalties in straight succession which produced a penalty try and a yellow card for Alfie Barron.
But the visitors had the last word of the half when Connon zig-zagged through for his second try, again converted by Seals.
Two tries from Max Trimble in the first two minutes of the second half, both of them converted, turned the game back Cov’s way, but a long-range Garry Law penalty was followed by a Seals try and conversion and MacKenzie’s second try, also converted, to leave Park 4131 clear going into the final quarter.
And after an 18-minute stoppage while Park’s Jack Blakeney-Edwards was treated for a suspected neck injury, a Heath Stevens try was answered by MacKenzie’s hat-trick score.
“We weren’t good enough and to concede 46 points at home is unacceptable,” said Cov’s director rugby, Rowland Winter.
”The boys have taken their foot off the gas and when you do that, these things will happen.
“That was a poor show in front of good crowd, and we’ve let them and ourselves down.”