Martin flies in to make certain for Coventry

By PAUL SMITH

Coventry ……………………… 45pts

Tries: Kvesic 2, Martin 13, 18; Hinkley 26, Penalty 48, Hutler 68, 78

Conversions: Richman 2, 18, 68, 78

Bedford Blues ……………….. 7pts

Tries: Heffernan 44

Conversions: Maisey 44

COVENTRY head coach Alex Rae cut a delighted figure after his team’s seven-try display extended their winning run against Bedford Blues to eight games.

Wingers Jimmy Martin and Ryan Hutler both grabbed a pair of tries for Cov whose pack controlled large parts of a first half in which they banked a bonus point while building a 24-point interval lead against their boss’ former club.

“That scoreline and the way we played doesn’t come as a surprise to me,” he said. “Bedford are a really good attacking team and I’ve heard lots of people bang on about the brand of rugby they play, but they didn’t have a chance to play any rugby today.

“I think the game plan plus the way the lads executed it and put them under pressure was brilliant.”

Coventry were quickly into their stride through influential back rower Matt Kvesic who powered over for a try which Liam Richman converted.

Richman also created their second score for Martin who was left with the simplest of finishes by his fly-half ‘s perfectly-weighted kick pass.

Cov’s left winger almost claimed their third try after a big hit from Billy Nairau broke the ball loose and the home side went wide via some good handling and a chip ahead.

After Bedford lost No.8 Freddie Tuilagi to the sin bin with the penalty count against the visitors, the outstanding Aaron Hinkley registered Cov’s bonus point score when he touched down a lineout drive boosted by six backs.

This left Cov with a 24-point interval advantage which was cut by seven when Oisin Heffer nan was shunted over from close range for a score that Cov old boy Will Maisey upgraded.

Rae’s team bounced straight back with a penalty try awarded at a five-metre attacking scrum but then quickly lost second row Senitiki Nayalo to a yellow card.

Some outstanding defence prevented Bedford from converting a long spell of pressure into points and when Cov forced a turnover on their own line they released Charlie Robson who 70 metres later was only denied by a last-gasp tap tackle.

Cov finished strongly and it was right wing Hutler who twice supplied outstanding poacher’s finishes. The first owed much to a perfectly-weighted Oli Morris diagonal chip before Martin supplied another delicate kick into space close to the Blues’ line and Hutler reacted fastest to score in the corner.

Richman added both conversions as Cov made it a perfect ten-from-ten return from their opening two games.