Coventry 48, Otley 3

Injuries meant Otley had to send out their youngest ever side and a lack of experience took its toll.

With skipper Dan Hyde having to move to No 8 in the absence of recognised occupants Max Lewis and Mike McCornish, full back Ian Shuttleworth a week away from playing and Alistair Monks still heavily bandaged, it was a further blow to have fly half Tom Rhodes and the ubiquitous Robin Kitching declared unfit with muscle injuries.

This entailed Otley including six 19-year-olds in the squad against a big Coventry side boasting many years at the coal-face. They kept the pressure on their visitors throughout, shutting down the options and forcing them to kick away what little possession they had.

Otley tackled their hearts out but with the intense pressure and a referee who was quick with the yellow cards – three for Otley due to technical offences – they were never able to build on their 11th-minute penalty. Fly half Tom Whittaker put his side ahead and, although still in the game at half-time just 13-3 down, the visitors were ground down after the break.

It took just four minutes for Coventry to take over the lead, running back a Hyde clearance from a line-out following a penalty as Jamie Miller crossed in the corner.

They made no impression while Whittaker was in the sin-bin but when Rob Baldwin followed him in ten minutes later, winger Ronnie McClean-Dents kicked the penalty. Straight from the re-start, No 8 Greg Thomas came up outside the winger to go over.

Otley were finding their attacks stifled but a great run involving most of the pack just failed on the line.

Coventry eased further ahead when winger Oliver Winter took a quick free-kick under the posts eight minutes after the break to make the line.

Ten minutes later they secured their fourth bonus try as lock Sam Herrington ran in from 20 metres.

There was disagreement between Hyde and the referee about when a ruck is formed and the Otley skipper found himself in the sin-bin.

In his absence, replacement back row Laurence McGlone was driven over and Winter went in for his second try.

Chris Whitehead came up with the final try from a five-metre scrum as McClean-Dents converted all five second-half scores for Coventry.