Saturday 24th January 2009

Coventrians 13 - 10 Pinley - Mids 5 West (South)

Covents Pile Pressure on Pinley

After twenty-two seasons of league rugby and only one victory against them, Coventrians secured their second win of the season (and third overall) verses Pinley at the Black Pad today. In a tough, tense and tight affair, the blue and whites triumphed by 3 points after 98 minutes of pulsating rugby to christen the new, ultra smooth tarmac car park in style. Two asphalt specialists from Dublin with a caravan are £30,000 better off after quoting £3,000 but who cares, it was worth it.

The game’s pattern was set in the 1st minute when Paul Brindley was left with a cut lip following a high tackle. In the 8th minute Chris Simons put a beautifully weighted kick into the car park corner (watch that tarmac!) and from the lineout, Covents won a penalty. Debutant Nick Coates, with minimal effort, sent the kick straight and true and Covents were 3 – 0 up. As usual, this fired the opposition up and Pinley were soon in our 22 and pressurizing our defence. They thought they’d scored (and so did we) but they were held up twice in the 18th minute on Covents’ line.

In the 23rd minute it was evident that the Covents’ three quarters were much improved this week as first Phil Jones (breaking through two tackles) and Rowan Aitken attacked the Pinley defence. In the 27th minute we took a scrum against the head (the first of three in the game) and Chris Simons drove though the middle and kicked to set up a lineout from which we attacked again through the back row, Carl and Cozzy which left the latter with a nose, pouring blood proving that no quarter was being asked and none given in this tough local derby.

In the 30th minute, number 8 Carl Thornton picked from the base of a scrum and went on a surging solo run into Pinley’s 22 before off loading to scrum-half Nick Coates who dotted down under the posts before converting his own score, 10 – 0. Deja vu resurfaced as Pinley counter attacked aggressively and were only stopped by a Wayne Brandfour (playing on the wing) bulldozer hit. In a 36th minute maul, Steve Vallis was sent sprawling by a Pinley head butt right in front of referee, Rab C Nesbitt. Strangely, Vallis, who lets Ricky Hatton spar on his chin weekdays, went down like a big girl’s blouse but even stranger, the perpetrator went unpunished as the referee decided a chat would suffice. This clearly rattled our lads as Pinley attacked, won a penalty and slotted for 10 – 3.

From the restart, Covents kicked long into Pinley’s half only for them to return a high kick near the touchline. No danger here though as prop forward Woz, getting a good bounce stood firm, arms outstretched, ready to receive the most simplest of catches. I mean we’re talking my Nan could have caught it in her pinny while rolling out pastry, a four year old child, partially sighted with one arm would have snaffled it up in their sleep but for some reason that baffled the large crowd of 50 or 60 supporters, Warren failed to “Garner” the ball. This is the second time he’s tried to gift Pinley a win as we recall “That Penalty” in the last game but when one considers his missus wears a coat, pinched off a postman, it’s hardly surprising.

Some moments later though, Phil “the boot” Jones torpedoed a great kick into the car park corner (watch the tarmac!) and from the resulting lineout we won a penalty. Nick Coates consulted the Chris Potter Book of Kicks and sent his effort straight but under the bar to bring the curtain down on a half of tough, uncompromising rugby that lasted 50 minutes.

Half time 10 – 3

The blue boys started the second half at 100 miles per hour and looked really fired up as the forwards rucked and drove aggressively and released attacks through the backs. It was a joy to behold after last week’s fragmented offering at Livingston Baths. On one such attack, running down the wing in Pinley’s 22, Paul Brindley was blatantly tripped without the ball but once again, referee William Wallace seemed to be unsighted. This angered the large contingent of home supporters and their outrage was so vociferous, it woke Bob Platt up.

In the 45th minute, Nick Coates went to ground and was immediately smothered by large, muddy Pinley forwards and then penalized for not releasing. How does this work? How can a 9 stone wringing wet scrum-half release with 60 stone of prop on him? Answers on a postcard please. At this point, Paul Brindley and a Pinley back decided to try their luck on Strictly Come Dancing and were both yellow carded.

In the 50th minute, Covents were still hunting for the score that would probably seal victory as Carl gathered from altitude at a lineout and set up a maul in which a Pinley flanker was miles offside. Yapping, Pinley were then marched 10 yards back and a scrum on Pinley’s try line came to nothing. Minutes later Covents surged forward again through Phil Jones and Danny Pearson but could not find that all elusive score to put them out of sight. Moments later, Pinley only just cleared from their line and the resulting Covents’ attack was broken down by what seemed a second, unpunished, deliberate knock-on.

On the hour, after a good run from Chris Simons and great work by flanker Tom Carter, Pinley were penalised for not releasing and Nick Coates slotted the resulting penalty for 13 – 3. From here it all looked good as we attacked up the middle of the park through Cozzy, Carl and Kieran. Nip and tuck now with Covents in control but Pinley, in the 70th minute were looking to get back into the game especially when Rowan took a great catch, called Mark (who’s he?) and then tapped and passed to a colleague. Unfortunately this is not allowed and Pinley had an “in.”

They won a penalty and after tapping, their Number 8 was almost in but passed the ball behind his winger and the move broke down. Pressure was on the blue boys now but they were holding firm in the sticky mud until a penalty was given for Covents yap and Pinley tapped, scored and converted in the 83rd minute for 13 – 10. Walking back to restart, we were waiting for the whistle but referee Rob Roy told the teams that 4 minutes were left and there was still work to do. This led to an agonizing last minute as Pinley drove at our line in waves but suddenly the ball popped up on Covent’s side and the game was won.

To be fair, it was no more than Covents deserved as fortune favours the brave but typically, Pinley battled to the end and certainly made their presence felt in a hard fought encounter that made for nervous watching and sore boys. Fair play to the lads today, they seemed much more together and cohesive. The pack worked as a unit, the backs gelled and to quote Brendan Behan; “Not saviour from on high deliver, no trust have we in prince or peer but in our strong arm to deliver.”

The strong arms certainly delivered the all important points today. Click here for other results.


Kenilworth 3rds 27 - 14 Coventrians 2nds - Warks 3

The second team lads came away from Kenilworth with their heads held high and there can be no shame in a 27 – 14 defeat. The game was lit up by a scintillating try from lock forward Ryan Gilbert. Apparently he gathered from almost Leamington and embarked on a brilliant, mazy solo run that contained a dummy, a sidestep, a miss move, scissors, pliers, mole grips, a pirouette, a triple pike and a dive in to score. Witnesses say it was between 90 and 100 metres but Ryan confirmed it was much more. He even went back round Kenilworth’s Pike Fisher twice just to take the p*ss! Rob Hollyman also went over and Ben Davies converted both.

Unfortunately, the butcher’s dog, 43 year old veteran Giz Gisbourne tweaked a hamstring – this is a potential hazard when too fit. Hooker Rich Scholes, who has passed Peter Sutcliffe now and resembles Brian Blessed on hair restorer pills pulled his calf while bending down to pick up a 2p piece super glued to Pikey’s shoe. Late injury news - Kyle Bonsor (the 16 stone winger in a scrum cap) was in pain after suffering a back orgasm. After explaining that it was probably a spasm, physio Lauren called Martin Trenholm into the treatment room to manipulate his groin.

Well done to skipper Dave Bailey and all the 2nd team lads, keep up the good work.

Just want to add that there was a great atmosphere in the club tonight. Almost an old boy’s do as Tom O’Neill, John Wilson and Stuart Whitehead turned up and Pinley President Gaz Marks and his mob joined in the singing. We were even treated to “Flower of Scotland” by referee Angus MeCoatup and he didn’t even change key when Marksy emptied the ice bucket over him.

These are the nights . . .

This week we remember Steve Dawson, an ex player who died suddenly 20 years ago and Jon Roden who died in January 2008.