Although the first attack came to an end when a sleight of hand pass to Ben Lewitt was ruled forward, home full back Ben Russell made a hash of his attempted clearance and was charged down by Joe Ansbro. The centre was pulled down just shy of the line and when the supporting players were impeded illegally Saints had a penalty.

They opted for a scrum, and after several resets the Marks Robinson and Easter combined for the latter to score the opening try. Although Saints continued to dominate, particularly at the scrum, it was the hosts who took the lead in the 15th minute in rather surreal circumstances.

Bruce Reihana, normally so solid under the high ball, was wrong-footed completely by the bounce of Myles Dorrian’s kick. In contrast to many of the pitches throughout National League One the surface at Coventry’s ground was firm and the height of the bounce allowed plenty of time for the chasers to arrive.

Ron McLean was the first there and he ran unopposed to the line. The centre also converted, and his penalty five minutes later had Coventry 10-5 ahead. The points came during a period in which Saints, while still full of attacking intent, were a touch disjointed and forcing the play. Having said that, plenty of backs were making runs including Neil Starling and Ansbro, and Dylan Hartley came within a couple of metres before being ruled in touch.

The Coventry defence was up to the challenge then, but it melted away when Reihana collected Dorrian’s clearance and ghosted into the 22. Ben Lewitt was alert to the break and in support to finish the move off. Reihana converted and Saints were back in front 12-10.

McLean missed a long-range penalty on the half-hour, but Coventry should still have re-taken the lead a minute later. Donavon Sanders jinked through the Saints’ line and when the ball was recycled quickly Cov had a three-on-one overlap on the left. But Kurt Johnson opted for the inside ball to Chris Whitehead, the hooker failed to control and Saints – eventually – cleared through Robinson.

Nevertheless it was a good spell of pressure for the hosts, who took a one-point lead thanks to McLean’s right boot. McLean also came within half-a-yard of a spectacular interception on his own 10-metre line as the rushing defence denied the visitors time and space on the ball.

Although Mark Hopley, on as a replacement for Lawes, made a powerful run with his first touch, and Paul Diggin made yards the first time he came off his wing, neither side could add to their total and Coventry left for the dressing rooms with the rapture of the home fans ringing in their ears.

The strength of the wind that Saints had been playing into wasn’t apparent to those in the stands until the heavens opened just before the break, and it took three minutes of the second half before the visitors took advantage. Carlos Spencer nonchalantly kicked a penalty 30 metres to touch, Hopley took the lineout and Diggin sprinted through a gaping hole in the defence to score by the sticks. Reihana added the conversion, and though McLean answered with a penalty two minutes later Saints still had a much-needed 19-16 lead.

They also had opportunities to build this in the next few minutes, but a couple of fumbles from Robinson and James Downey and an accidental offside in a maul put paid to any thoughts of a quick bonus point. Coventry had their chances too, and had Dorrian held onto George Dixon’s pass he would have scored a try to bring the house down.

Play finally clicked for the Saints in the 55th minute and again the try came from a lineout. Matt Lord won the ball, Robinson and Spencer sent the ball to Ansbro, whose two jinks bamboozled Russell and created the bonus point try. Reihana slotted the extras and Saints had a double-point lead for the first time.

But Coventry were nothing if not determined and tried to break Saints down from 10 metres out. However the attack slowed to walking pace and a cracking tackle by Reihana on Johnson, a quick lineout to Lewitt and a 60-metre Spencer punt had the hosts having to build from their own 10-metre line.

Then it was the turn of the Saints to spurn a pair of good chances. Downey’s hands let him down again five metres out and Starling lost the ball in a tackle after a marvellous weaving run deep into Coventry territory.

The game was finally sealed in the 73rd minute. Coventry were rocking with the sin binning of replacement scrum-half Nathan Jones when Soane Tonga’uiha ripped a hole down the blind-side defence. Ansbro continued the play and fed Johnny Howard, who sprinted over from 30 metres. Reihana converted and Saints had an unassailable 33-16 lead.

Tonga’uiha added the sixth try five minutes later, and Paul Shields the seventh a minute into injury-time, and though there was still time on the clock when Jones returned to the fray the stuffing had been knocked out of the hosts.

The visitors left the best until last. A turnover won in their 22 was turned into an attack by Howard. Stephen Myler’s dummy split the defence and Diggin outran three men on his way to the corner. Reihana missed but it was still a healthy win for the Saints.

Teams:
Coventry – Russell (capt); Johnson, McLean, Sanders, Dixon (Slater 74mins); Dorrian, Walls (Jones 55mins); Maddocks (Dugard 70-77mins), Whitehead, Brits (Dugard 79mins), GIllanders, Nimmo, Venter (Miller 65mins), Clayton (Rheeders 65mins), McGlone.

Northampton Saints – Reihana (capt); Starling, Ansbro (Harries 74mins), Downey, Diggin; Spencer (Myler 74mins), Robinson (Howard 65mins); Tonga’uiha, Hartley (Shields 65mins), Murray, Rae, Lord, Lawes (Hopley 37mins), Lewitt (Fox 65mins), Easter.

Scorers:
Coventry – Try: Mclean; Con: McLean; Pens: McLean (3).

Northampton Saints – Tries: Easter, Lewitt, Diggin (2), Ansbro, Howard, Tonga’uiha, Shields; Cons: Reihana (4).

Yellow card:
Jones (71mins)

Referee:
Llyr Apgeraint Roberts

TIMELINE:
6mins SAINTS Try Easter 0-5
14mins COV Try McLean Con McLean 7-5
20mins COV Pen McLean 10-5
25mins SAINTS Try Lewitt Con Reihana 10-12
30mins COV Miss pen McLean
36mins COV Pen McLean 13-12
HALF-TIME COVENTRY 13 SAINTS 12
43mins SAINTS Try Diggin Con Reihana 13-19
45mins COV Pen McLean 16-19
54mins SAINTS Try Ansbro Con Reihana 16-26
71mins COV Yellow card Jones
73mins SAINTS Try Howard Con Reihana 16-33
78mins SAINTS Try Tonga’uiha 16-38
81mins SAINTS Try Shields 16-43
86mins SAINTS Try Diggin 16-48
FULL-TIME COVENTRY 16 SAINTS 48