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| 4 February 2002, 9:43 pm |
| Eight-Try Win For The Wanderers |
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WANDERERS 48
COVENTRY 12
Franklin's Gardens
Monday, February 4, 2002 - KO 7.30pm
Hooker Dan Richmond scored a hat-trick of tries during the Wanderers' wet and windy performance against Coventry.
In the first half, the home side had the wind advantage and played most of the game in Coventry's half. The forwards retained possession well, but Richmond's first try occurred when he filled in the gap in the back line and wormed his way through another one in Coventry's defence after just 10 minutes. Centre Mark Tucker converted and the Wanderers led 7-0. Richmond took his second 10 minutes later following a drive from a Wanderers lineout. Tucker successfully kicked the conversion to take the score to 14-0.
Centre Chris Hyndman followed Richmond with a try in the 27th minute and scrum-half Ian Vass popped up from behind a Saints scrum in the 33rd to stretch Saints' lead to 26-0. There was still time for one more try from the home side before half-time though and it came from the pace of young fly-half Ben Russell - the star kicker of England U19s last week and a regular in Saints U21s side despite being just 17. At half-time the score was 33-0.
The Wanderers had the wind in their faces in the second half and Coventry seemed to be grateful of the extra push they could gain from having the conditions in their favour. They scored in the third minute of the second half with a try from scrum-half Sam Viggors and fly-half Michael McKensie kicked the conversion to make the score 33-7.
Replacements became the order of the day in the first 20 minutes of the second half after three changes apiece for both sides at half-time. Most notably, captain Rob Hunter, who had been replaced by lock Jon Phillips in the first half, came on for fit-again Andy Rennick and hooker James Buckland replaced Mark Soden. Buckland took up his favoured position in the front row and Richmond moved to the back row.
In the 61st minute, Tom Kirk, who had come on at half-time for Tucker, scored the Wanderers' sixth try but full-back Simon Hoult could not make the conversion against the wind. Buckland added another one just nine minutes later only to be answered by Coventry replacement lock Lee Buckby.
However, the Wanderers still had room for one more and it came from Richmond in injury time.
Teams:
Wanderers - Hoult; Sleightholme, Hyndman, Tucker (Kirk 40mins), Anker (Richards 63mins); Russell, Vass (Howard 40mins); Todd (Sturgess 62mins), Richmond, Budgen (Morris 40mins), McDermid (Bowley 62mins), Hunter (Phillips 32mins), Winstanley, Rennick (Hunter 45mins), Soden (Buckland 53mins).
Coventry - Richmond (Mitchell 40mins); Stanojevic (Evans (70mins), Watts (Worthington 49mins), Palerm, Baron (Wood 70mins); McKensie, Viggoors (Brackwell 47mins); Hadfield (capt), Woolrich, Revan (Pearman 40mins), McGowan, Roberts (Buckby 47mins), Munro, Ellis (Calloway 40mins), Brady (Ellis 61mins).
Scorers:
Wanderers - Tries: Richmond (3), Hyndman, Vass, Russell, Kirk, Buckland; Cons: Tucker (4).
Coventry - Tries: Viggors, Buckby; Con: McKensie.
Attendance:
100 approx
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