Cov need to stop the slide; RUGBY UNION: Third consecutive defeat raises relegation fears for Maynard's men.

Byline: By John Wilkinson 

Esher 27

Coventry 18

THE pressure is mounting on Coventry after a third successive defeat which drags them closer to the National Division One relegation zone.

After setting themselves a target of 15 points from the games against Newbury, Rotherham and Esher - a realistic return not much more than a month ago - a haul of just three has set the alarm bells ringing with this weekend's trip to bottom side Otley now assuming monumental importance.

The situation is retrievable, but there is no doubt that concerns are growing over Cov's staying power with squad resources stretched to the limit and no leeway to freshen things up.

The Coventry of the last few weeks is almost unrecognisable from the side that previously performed such heroics against Doncaster and Leeds, and while injuries in key positions cannot be ignored, they can't wholly explain such a dip in form and lack of sparkle.

There were glimpses of Cov's true capabilities at Esher as, after going 13-0 down in the first 16 minutes, they took charge for the next half hour and pulled back to 13-12 with a controlled display of forward domination which cut off the supply of possession to the home side's dangerous backs.

But an initially promising start to the second half was blown apart when Cov drifted away from a course that was clearly working and conceded two tries in the space of six defining minutes.

Back to playing catch-up, Cov were never able to show the same control or find the necessary spark to penetrate as a buoyant Esher, who have collected six wins from seven games, ran down the clock.

"It wasn't a great performance and it leaves us in some trouble," conceded Cov's rugby director Phil Maynard. "We played well in patches and very poorly in others, and our execution of the simple things was disappointing.

"Esher played with a lot of passion and commitment, but having got back into the game we took our foot off the gas and we didn't persist with the territorial game we planned.

"That has got to be down to the decision makers. And at the end of the day we just fed their strengths - the accuracy of our kicking had to be spot on, and it wasn't.

"It makes next week very important and we have some hard work to do to turn things round."

Cov conceded the first of a dozen penalties after just 27 seconds and found themselves behind when, from the line-out, centre Charlie Amesbury cleverly switched play with a long pass to flanker Sam Stitcher, who squeezed over in the right corner.

Neil Hallett converted from the touchline and after Tommy Hayes had missed one against the breeze for Cov, the effective Esher full-back kicked two penalties in the space of four minutes.

Cov's forwards got them back in the game, working their way relentlessly to the Esher line before driving over Kurt Johnson for the winger's first try of the season and then setting up another close-range position which saw scrum-half Mike Walls put in Hayes, who landed the first conversion, at the left corner.

Cov created two more good opportunities before the break, but gave away a penalty on the Esher line and were then turned over in the 22, and another turnover cost them an attacking platform in the early second-half exchanges.

It proved the defining period of the game as Esher's Mike Blakeburn somehow broke clear along the left flank and sent in Amesbury for a try before the home side returned a clearance kick with interest for winger Tom Lozides to touch down, both scores converted.

Hayes pulled back a penalty at the end of the third quarter and another three minutes from the end of normal time, but Cov's efforts became more and more fragmented in the quest for even the consolation of a losing bonus point and replacement Ronnie McLean's first touch of the ball, an injury-time penalty of 45 metres or so with a wide angle from the left, proved too big an ask.

Esher: tries Stitcher (2), Amesbury (46), Lozides (52); conversions Hallett (3); penalties Hallett 2 (12, 16). Coventry: tries Johnson (23), Hayes (30); conversion Hayes (23); penalties Hayes 2 (59, 77). Esher: Hallett; Flockhart, Amesbury, Jewell, Lozides (Ulph 80); Slemen, Shaw (Barnes 78); Rogers (Hannon 78), Corrigan (Goldsmith 80), Elosu, Barker (Ayling 80), Inglis, Waterhouse, Stitcher (Blakeburn 31), Renwick (Starling 13). Coventry: Russell; Johnson, Dixon (McLean 80), Sanders, Parry; Hayes (Winter 80), Walls (Slater 67); Whitehall (Dugard 67), Whitehead, Dugard (Brits 51), Herrington (Lyons 67), Atkinson, Venter (Pons 71), Clayton, McGlone. Referee: M Wilson (RFU).

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BEST FOOT FORWARD... Nuneaton's Huw Thomas launches a kick into Bradford & Bingley territory. Picture: Mark Radford MR210309NUNS-01