Exiles Edge Home for Three in a Row
Birmingham Exiles 1st XV 25 - 22 Cov Tech
Birmingham Exiles RUFC chalked up a third successive league win against a resilient Coventry Technical side whose performance belied their position at the foot of the table. E’s back division had a clear edge over the home side with ball in hand, but found their bigger opponents strong direct running a bit of a handful a times.
Exiles made an excellent start as full back Askins slipped a pass to number eight Hayden Pattison who forced his way through a trio of defenders to touch down in he left corner; Johnstone’s conversion attempt hit a post and bounced out.
However, any idea that E’s were going to have a field day were swiftly corrected, as home full back Jason Chappell ran through a near-static Exiles‘ defence for a try that levelled the score at 5-5. E’s line came under some pressure; Tech passed up a chance for three points from a penalty but the subsequent attacking move failed. However they launched another attack from a scrum and this time Chappell completed the move to register his second try, adding the conversion for good measure.
More problems for E’s as scrum half Strong was sin-binned, but the visitors’ defence coped well during his absence and then Exiles’ backs struck again as good handling saw Askins supply the assist to left winger Alex Warrillow who raced over in the corner for an excellent score. The extra speed of the visitors' backs was beginning to make its mark and E’s stand off Dan Johnstone broke through to find himself with a clear run to the line that took him behind the posts for a try that he duly converted himself to complete the scoring for the half.
The home side began the second half with some purpose and a penalty goal from Chappell cut the gap to two points. The irrepressible Chappell was on hand soon after to stride over for his hat-trick try which he goaled himself to put Technical five points in front. Exiles’ backs, though, were still full of running, and the home side’s cause was not help by having two players yellow-carded. The visitors duly capitalised, putting together the move of the match, begun by Pattison and finished, after a whirlwind of passes, by second rower Sam Parkinson who crashed over for a try that levelled the scores – and earned his side a bonus league point. Johnstone was uncharacteristically off-target with his conversion attempt but made amends a few minutes
later when he slotted over a penalty kick for what turned out to be the winning score.
Tech did all they could to rescue the game, but E’s were lasting the pace just a bit better and held out to complete a league double over the Coventry side E’s greater speed and fluidity in the back division carried the day; aside from those mentioned, particular credit
goes to centres Baker and Shackleton who ran hard and strongly at their – much bigger - opposite numbers
HT: Coventry Technical 12 pts, Birmingham
Report by John Simkin
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