Greens in storming victory as Ionians are left waiting

The Greens began at a furious pace, penning the visitors inside their 22 for much of the opening 10 minutes.

However, it was Coventry who opened the scoring, breaking out of defence for full-back Clifford Hodgson to finish in style and convert.

Greens centre Joe Donkin responded by breaking through a tackle 40 metres out to leave himself a clear run to the line. Barrett landed the equalising conversion.

Barrett was inside the home half when he made a devastating run to the posts before converting to make it 14-7.

Centre Barry Davies was the last man in an incisive Coventry move, touching down close to the right corner, Hodgson converting.

Wharfedale made their overall command in the forwards count. A lineout 15 metres from the line was taken cleanly and once the well-controlled drive was under way, the try, claimed by flanker Aaron Myers, was inevitable.

Soon after, No 8 Rob Baldwin received at pace to crash over betwen the posts. Barrett converted both scores for a first-half bonus point.

As the second half got under way, Coventry flanker Matt Tibbatts was sin-binned but the Greens garnered just one penalty in his absence.

However, on 62 minutes they effectively sealed the result when lock Richard Rhodes was offered a ‘walk’ to the line after a neat combination between new signing Dan Scarborough and Baldwin, Barrett converting.

Coventry winger Kohler was denied a try by a marginal foot-in-touch decision, then No 8 Jacques Le Roux and winger Ian Clarke scored to inject some respectability into the scoreline.

Hull Ionians are still searching for their first victory in National One after a 29-13 defeat at Old Albanian.

The home side ran into a 17-0 lead in the first half-hour, and although Ionians stepped up their game and battled well thereafter, the damage had already been done.

Scrum-half Stefanes Liebenberg got Albanian off the mark with a try which stand-off Lawrence Rayner converted, and he added a penalty.

Inside centre Johannes Lombaard touched down on 26 minutes, Rayner converting, to make the lead 17-0 at half-time.

Scrum-half Isaac Green slotted two penalties for the East Yorkshire side and Rayner bagged a try on the hour mark to make it 22-6 but replacement Adam Thomas touched down for Ionians six minutes later, Green on target with the conversion to narrow the gap to 22-13.

Ionians pressed but the final try went to Albanian, replacement Ian Vass touching down.