A fantastic, battling performance by Bishop’s Stortford produces a well-deserved losing bonus point and, but for a couple of frustrating late penalty calls might even have brought a remarkable win. As it was, the mighty Coventry team were pleased to hear the final whistle. The win being sufficient to take them to the top of the table.

The visitors started aggressively and might have had a try within the first minute, as Sam Winter seized on a loose ball in the Coventry 22, but was stopped just short. Stortford were not to be denied, though and a clever short lineout between Dec Caulfield and Dan Leo, saw the hooker in space, which he sued to make some 20 yards. Quick support came from George Cullen and a great half break by the flyhalf and an offload out of the back door set winger, Chris Smith clear to the line after three minutes. Cullen converted from the touchline. Coventry were straight onto the front foot from the restart and a missed tackle on All Black, Tuitupou was coolly closed out with an unconverted try out wide to the right wing on 6 minutes. Play now swung back Stortford’s way and Cullen stretched the lead 6 minutes later to 5 with a penalty from in front of the posts after a breakdown infringement. Four minutes later, Coventry were awarded their own penalty in front of the opposition posts. This time, though, they opted to go for touch and the wisdom of this decision was borne out with a try shortly after to Tuitupou, after the initial driving maul from the lineout had been stopped. It was Coventry flyhalf, Maisey’s turn to convert from the touchline to take his side into a 2 point lead. Within 3 minutes, though, the visitors had their noses in front from another Cullen penalty. The match continued to seesaw and a badly missed tackle by Stortford in midfield saw the home side onto the attack, with the opening being exploited to the full through a converted try to Coventry’s left wing after 23 minutes. The deficit was narrowed to 3 points some 10 minutes later with another Cullen penalty, which, almost inevitably, prefaced a period of Coventry attacking play. This culminated in a series of scrums and driving mauls in Stortford’s 5 metre area and it took some fantastic defence by Stortford to see out the half with the score at 19-16.

After a shaky reception of the restart, Stortford managed to recover and eventually made a good exit and a promising attack was thwarted only by a penalty for a breakdown offence on the Coventry 22. A couple of phases later and a poor defensive kick by Coventry that went straight into touch gave the visitors another attacking platform and this time no mistake was made. Some great handling by forwards and backs, switching left then right, created an opportunity for James Lennon to spin out a pinpoint long pass and create a huge gap for Rory Banks to stride through for a try. Cullen’s conversion attempt went just wide, leaving his side 2 points ahead after 12 minutes. There followed an extensive period of Coventry pressure, which met with some more tremendous Stortford defence, albeit at the cost of a yellow card to Dec Caulfield for an offence at a driving maul in his own 22. The pressure being felt by the home side was clearly demonstrated, though a couple of minutes later, when they settled for another 3 points from Maisey’s boot, following a further penalty in front of the posts after 22 minutes. Yet, within 3 minutes, another Cullen penalty had turned the one point deficit into a 2 point lead. As the game continued to swing to and fro, a potentially decisive score came after 5 minutes, when powerful Coventry fullback, James Stokes crashed through Stortford’s defensive line and dummied his way past two covering defenders for an unconverted try. Undaunted, Stortford were straight back on the attack, forcing another penalty, which Cullen converted to level the scores with some 7 minutes to play. With the Coventry crowd now baying their support, the home side threw themselves back onto the attack, but more dogged defence from Stortford kept their line intact, despite wave after wave of forward pressure. Eventually, though a penalty was awarded to Coventry at a scrum under the posts and Maisey made no mistake. Stortford again threatened to take the lead, with some impressive running and handling, but were thwarted as a couple of penalty decisions went against them at breakdowns and the home side was able to hold on for a narrow win – a huge compliment to Stortford, that such illustrious opponents were ready to settle for such a narrow home win..