SCOTT Tolmie’s close-range try stole a fifth win of the RFU Championship season for Coventry Rugby at the expense of London Scottish.
The Butts Park Arena crowd were treated to a rollercoaster tie on Saturday – one which the hosts looked set to lose when staring at a 15-point deficit.
Three unanswered tries followed, with momentum carrying Coventry all the way to a last-gasp score.
After an early penalty was scored by Harry Shephard, Rory Jennings levelled with an eighth-minute effort of his own, before adding the extras to Max Trimble’s opening try of the game two minutes later.
It was a simplistic move in nature, Andy Forsyth kicking a low ball forward which sat up nicely for Trimble to receive and fly across the whitewash unopposed, but a well-deserved try nonetheless.
Scottish soon turned the tie on its head, scoring three tries in succession to build a commanding lead.
The first was provided from Bobby Beattie after capitalising on a defensive mistake by Trimble, while Dan Barnes and Lewis Wynne also found success in charging towards the hosts’ try-line.
Harry Shephard was on target with two of the three conversions he was tasked with, putting the visitors 22-10 to the good at the break.
A first try of the afternoon for Tolmie was just the tonic Coventry needed after Shephard kicked a second penalty after the restart, closing the gap to eight points as the hosts launched a comeback bid.
With 18 minutes remaining, the fightback was very much on when James Voss finished off a sensational attack, followed by Jennings’ accurate conversion, to put Coventry within a point of parity.
Pete White’s unconverted score followed to put his side back in front again, although the visiting Londoners quickly doused any celebrations when Mark Bright crashed over in the corner.
Fortune favours the bold though, as the away side found no reply to Tolmie’s second of the match – this time converted by Will Maisey – to win the game with two minutes remaining.
Coventry are now fourth in the table – a position they hope to improve away to eighth-placed Hartpury on Saturday (2.30pm).
