How well the squad responded. A difficult week followed however by 80 plus minutes of really positive action brought back some smiles at the Butts Park Arena.

A first win in four matches and only the second at home since October was just what was needed with club stalwart Dave Addleton in charge of the build up to this important match. After the recent run of results and then the mid week departure of coach Brett Davey, what really was needed was a performance to lift the home faithful and the side did not disappoint.

Spurred on by the quickest try scored at the Butts Park, timed at some 13 seconds, the Blue and Whites simply refused to allow Plymouth into the match. Albion, themselves currently in a poor run of league results tried everything from their traditional armoury all of which failed against superbly marshalled home defences. Time after time, the visitors resorted to their pick and up drive tactic which brought them no reward and when that failed, they simply lacked the decisiveness to break through despite lengthy spells of sustained pressure.

Coventry for their part could feel well pleased with their afternoon’s work which ultimately brought the season’s league double, the second ever achieved over Plymouth. Whereas Albion were pretty pedestrian in their attacking options, Cov with ball in hand often looked dangerous and there was the added bonus of two tries coming through charged down kicks, all part of the pressure exerted. It was a splendid team effort, the work had been done to nullify Plymouth’s known strengths and from it a 4-1 try count was built through some excellent work stemming from the pack. Tackling around the fringes where McGlone and Clayton again excelled was superb and also amongst the backs in midfield.

It was just a pity that the victory was tarnished somewhat with worrying injuries being picked up by both Ben Toft and again Logon Kirisome.

What a start however it was to be. From the kick off, Darren Clayton charged down an attempted Plymouth clearance in their own ‘’ 22’’ leaving Logon Kirisome to pounce for the ‘’13 second opening try’’, Myles Dorrian converting. Fantastic and after Davies had missed a straight forward penalty for the visitors after four minutes, it got even better. An excellent move from their own half saw Cov again on the attack before on 11 minutes, Dorrian broke sweetly through to feed Kurt Johnson with a long pass. The international wing did the rest running through the remains of the Albion cover for his 97th Cov league try, Dorrian again adding the extras for 14-0.

A Johnson chip eight minutes later might have brought more reward, it only however being a prelude to sustained attacking by Plymouth featuring in particular a dangerous break into the Cov’’22’’ after 30minutes. Superb home defence however constantly repelled everything Albion could produce, their only reward being an easy Davies penalty kicked just before the break for 14-3.

Within one minute of the second half starting, Coventry had themselves given a splendid lesson in the art of build up and finishing . Johnson suddenly appeared at outside centre to make a clean break before feeding Jack Cobden, the young winger then storming in from 20 metres, the angle this time defeating Dorrian’s attempted conversion.

On 51 minutes, Donovan Sanders broke cleanly into the visiting ‘’22’’, before Plymouth pulled back seven points, Lewsey crossing for replacement Laidlaw to convert.

Any hopes the visitors had though of building a further comeback were firmly quelled after 72 minutes. Dorrian charged down an attempted clearance leaving Donovan Sanders to storm in for try number four and another valuable bonus point achieved. Ronnie McLean making a welcome return after his lengthy spell out with injury and on as replacement for the injured Ben Toft converted as well as adding a final penalty goal two minutes into time added on.

It really was just what ‘’ the doctor ordered’’. Victories at any time are important, but this one and the manner in which it was achieved will surely give the whole club a real lift.

Coventry. Ben Toft, Kurt Johnson, Donovan Sanders, Logon Kirisome, Jack Cobden, Myles Dorrian, Mike Walls, Carl Rimmer, Chris Whitehead, Rudi Brits, Gregor Gillanders, Ian Nimmo, Danny Hodge, Darren Clayton, Laurie McGlone (Capt)

Replacements; Stuart Friswell for Whitehead, Rob Dugard for Brits, Henno Venter for Hodge, Jamie Miller for McGlone, Nathan Jones for Cobden, Tom Slater for Kirisome, Ronnie McLean for Toft.

Coventry. Tries; Logon Kirisome, Kurt Johnson, Jack Cobden, Donovan Sanders.

Conversions; Myles Dorrian 2, Ronnie McLean. Penalty goal ; McLean

Plymouth Albion. Try; Ed Lewsey. Conversion; Ross Laidlaw. Penalty goal; Brad Davies.