Nottingham Rugby 26 Coventry Rugby 64 - bullseye! Cov strike gold as Archers misfire
If you wake up and don't want to smile
If it takes just a little while
Open your eyes and look at the day
You'll see things in a different way
Don't stop thinking about tomorrow
Don't stop, it'll soon be here
It'll be better than before
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone
Don't Stop - Fleetwood Mac
You have to admire the optimism of youth.
My grandson turned nineteen on Thursday and even after watching Cov play home and away for the past five seasons, he still holds on to the steadfast belief that Cov will win every match, always predicting a bonus point victory by a significant margin.
Bless him.
I, on the other hand, regard myself as a realist, having been through too much to adopt his optimistic outlook. While Josh quickly overlooks the many past letdowns of watching Cov play away from home, I can't help but remember the heartache, though there are odd moments of total euphoria that make supporting Cov away from the NNS such a emotional roller coaster.
On the back of Cov's first outing against Rotherham a couple of weeks ago, I was less than confident, to be honest. Nottingham have proved really tough to beat at Lady Bay in recent seasons, and despite dismantling Pirates just 7 days ago, I'd felt nervous going into the game yesterday. Over the past 12 months, Cov's away form has been poor, and I saw no real reason to think that might change.
I should have listened to Josh, who never doubted the outcome, even when the Archers tied the score at 12-all and appeared to have the momentum and the crowd with them.
But in my defence, away days with Cov have at times been the stuff of nightmares.
Consider last season, for example. It was an excellent campaign overall for Cov, finishing third in The Champ, matching their best performance in the professional era. With 16 wins, many achieved in conclusive fashion, most supporters were more than satisfied with the overall outcome.
However, we still managed to lose 10 games in total, 8 of which were away games, resulting in only a 39% win rate on the road.
Not particularly impressive, really.
What worried me even more about the 2025/26 season was that the five teams we defeated away from the Nick Newbold Stadium last season were the bottom five finishing clubs in The Champ - Cambridge, London Scottish, Richmond, Caldy, and Ampthill. We didn't achieve any wins in our away games against teams ranked above 9th in the league. This remains a concern, especially after the Rotherham result, although yesterday's performance against the Archers shows significant improvement. However, on its own, it's not sufficient. It's a promising step, indicating the squad is making very positive progress, but we need more consistency in away games if we are to challenge Worcester and Ealing for the top two spots next April.
All this led to my lack of confidence regarding yesterday's pre-match prediction. At their peak, Cov can decisively defeat any team in our league, including Worcester, as we witnessed at the end of last season, particularly on home (astro)turf. Yet, for various reasons, we have consistently shown the potential to collapse, a challenge that has befallen us regularly us since our promotion in the 2018/19 season.
So yesterday's outcome, particularly the performance, has boosted my confidence for the challenging trip to Donny on the 17th.
Cov were outstanding last night, putting in an 80-minute performance that showed far more discipline and control than we witnessed at Rotherham, with a penalty count that must have been in single figures or thereabouts and no yellow cards.
Consequently, we played off the front foot rather than having to defend much of the game deep in our own half, as was the case at Clifton Lane where Rotherham did exactly what they needed to do and kicked deep to the corner after we fell foul of the referee, and then used the rolling maul to such good effect.
In short, we looked a different team altogether.
The presence of Steve Boden might also have helped, too, and he must have been delighted at the response of the players - the set pieces worked really well and the breakdown, so often an area of concern away from home, became an area of strength.
We'd struggled to dominate the scrum in the opening two games, but yesterday from the onset the Nottingham front row appeared to be under severe pressure, with Cov winning several penalties. Bruce Houston was able to kick us into attacking positions, several of which we scored from... although he did miss a couple of touches late on which might have proved costly against stronger opposition.
The lineout also performed exceptionally well. Murray Davidson, making his season debut, once again showed his potential as an exciting talent. He was a significant nuisance at the breakdown, winning turnover ball on a couple of occasions. His accuracy at the lineout was impressive, and he also scored two tries. With Poole and Hunt available, Alex Rae will hopefully be able to rotate his hookers throughout the season, providing more options than before.
With no Tom Ball yesterday and with MacKenzie Graham on the bench, Dan Green appeared to take on more responsibility at the lineout. And he warmed to the task. Playing off the back row seemed to suit him and, for me, he had one of his best games in a Cov shirt. Always consistent, his athleticism shone through and already the coaches appear to see him as a hybrid second row/no 6. He's another young prospect and just 19, he's already amassed 40 appearances in a Cov shirt which underscores just how important he is to this current squad.
I thought Cov managed the game exceptionally well yesterday. They maintained a steady pace in the opening quarter, then increased the tempo before halftime, which led to gaps opening up, initially through Nayalo and later as the backs, especially Tom Bacon, got involved. Cov appears to be a very fit team nowadays, and it was quite evident that when the ball was released in the tackle, there were frequently multiple options available with two or three players on the shoulder of the ball carrier. As the gaps emerged, Notts' defence became stretched, allowing Cov to break through.
The home side's defence went AWOL at times and they looked a shadow of the side that beat us at the back end of last season, but part of that was down to Cov's pace and exceptional handling - when we get it right it really is a pleasure to watch. When we get it wrong though, well it's another long afternoon at Clifton Lane.
We also kicked effectively and whilst we didn't always put the receiver under great pressure, we kept a flat defensive line that limited their attacking opportunities and we seldom missed our tackles. We have been guilty of putting the ball in the air a little too often in the past, but that hasn't been the case so far this season which perhaps isn't that surprising with the likes of Reece, Sullivan, and McNab out wide.
We made the right decisions at the right time.
When we play the kind of expansive rugby we've seen in the last two games, there can't be many more exciting teams to watch in The Champ.
When visiting Lady Bay, it's impossible not to observe the differing approaches the clubs take regarding their grounds. As an occasional visitor, it seems that Nottingham Rugby hasn't made significant investments in the ground in recent years, likely due to financial considerations, whereas the reverse is true of Cov, of course.
Investing in the Cov ground provides a means to generate additional revenue through expanded business ventures, ranging from corporate entertainment and training to broader sporting connections within the local community. Developing the brand fosters synergy with local businesses, which in turn creates new opportunities. It's risky, of course, but if the club is to become self-sufficient financially, it's an obvious way forward on Jon Sharp's road map to the Prem.
Nottingham clearly has a different pathway, one that doesn't involve the top tier as of now. And that's the right approach for them, but it does mean that the ground, warm and friendly as it is, is looking a bit tired these days. It has an atmosphere all of its own, and I always enjoy my visits to Lady Bay (excluding the results, more often than not).
ten than not); the bar/hospitality area is vibrant and the food area lively.
But it's not one of my favourite places to actually watch a game.
The two stands, which are the sole seating areas for watching the game, are limited in size. The Green Stand, the only option for visiting fans, has its view obstructed by multiple stanchions that support the roof, often blocking certain parts of the action. At a cost of £24 regardless of age, with no discounts available, it doesn't offer great value. If you do decide to stand, though, you risk getting soaked due to the lack of shelter elsewhere around the ground, unless you watch from the bar.
The small metal 'terraces' on the far side are a better bet. Despite being exposed to the elements, they offer plenty of banter, a great view, and are the main gathering spot for most of the traveling supporters.
The crowd of 1600 plus last night was vocal early doors, although Cov managed to quieten the home support the longer the game went on. The PA and pre-match music are always enjoyable, and there are several food outlets offering the ubiquitous burger and chips, pizzas, and even crepes for those with a sweet tooth, as well as fresh coffee, too.
Josh went for the pizza, which he thoroughly enjoyed, giving it a generous 8.5/10, and at £12 it was probably reasonably priced.
Fortunately, even though the ground is close to the River Trent and tends to flood annually, the minimal rainfall this summer left the pitch in excellent condition. Since we usually play on astroturf at home, a wet surface could have leveled the playing field, so to speak, so facing Nottingham early in the season was advantageous for us. However, a few Coventry players experienced cramps, and I suspect we'll encounter this more often as the winter months approach.
I'm not a great fan of Friday evening games, and I do think it puts the away team at a distinct disadvantage given the slow grind through rush hour traffic. However, I'd rather be playing Nottingham than, say, Donny or Ealing. I feel for Blackheath next week, but the tables will be reversed later in the season, so it seems all's fair in love and rugby.
Selecting a Man of the Match from the Cov team was more challenging than usual. Often it's possible to single out one particular player whose contribution stood out above the others, but on this occasion the win was based very much on a whole team performance and to single out one particular player is a little unfair.
Nevertheless, I'll give it a go...
Yes, Naylo took his tries well and made good metres again, Houston kicked well and managed his backs effectively, Davidson had a strong all round game, Tom Bacon was excellent in attack and strong in defence and under the high ball, the Benz-Salomon twins caused the opposition from row all sorts of problems and on it goes. However, if pushed, I'd give the award to young Dan Green - there was a lot of pressure on him to perform yesterday and he did just that, staying on the pitch for the full 90 minutes and putting in the hard graft while others grabbed the headlines. Maybe others deserved it more, but none but in a bigger shift.
This was an excellent performance and Cov thoroughly deserved to regain the Matt Gallagher Trophy. The cup certainly adds additional interest for supporters of both teams and it was clear that the players enjoyed the presentation at the end of the game.
Matt was a fine attacking full back and he would have revelled in such an open and expansive game.
It was certainly a fitting game to remember him by - hopefully the return fixture back at Cov will be just as enjoyable to watch.
Up the Cov!
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