Round 4 Review
Action and reaction from Round 4 of The Championship.
Four rounds in and Jersey Reds and Ealing Trailfinders continue to set the pace in The Championship, with the West Londoners leapfrogging the Channel Islanders to the top of the table after the latter's failure to secure a try bonus point against Cornish Pirates.
The Reds kicked off the weekend's action with a hard-fought victory against Cornish Pirates, grinding out a 21-10 win courtesy of a hat-trick of penalty tries, with Jack Andrew and Carwyn Penny crashing over for the visitors' only points in the second half. Nottingham, arguably this season's surprise package, continued their fine start to the 2022/23 campaign with a five-point 30-15 win against Doncaster Knights. A first-half brace from Jordan Olowofela and Harry Graham saw the Archers take an unassailable 17-point lead into the break, with George Kelly, and the league's joint-leading-try-scorer George Simpson going over for the visitors either side of the half time whistle.
Saturday saw the eight remaining teams in action. Richmond banked their first win of the season with a late try from captain Mark Bright en route to a 19-15 home win against Hartpury at The RAG. The visitors secured a losing bonus point, with tries from Bradley Denty and Matt McNab, but slide to 11th in the table after Saturday's defeat. Coventry were outgunned 5-50 by an emphatic Ealing Trailfinders performance at Butts Park Arena. New signing, Jonah Holmes, went over for a brace for the visitors, with six other names getting on the scoresheet - including a fifth try of the season for Carlo Tizzano - and the ever-reliable boot of Craig Willis keeping the scoreboard ticking over - as the Trailfinders racked up a half century to go top of the table for the first time this season. Bedford Blues crossed the 50-point mark for the second time in a row with a 52-29 win against Caldy. Jake Garside and Dean Adamson crossed twice, with the league's leading points scorer Will Maisey adding six successful conversions from eight on a busy afternoon at Goldington Road. Despite the 23-point defeat, Caldy will take plenty of solace from a five-try, bonus-point performance against the side currently ranked third in the league. Ampthill registered their first win of the season in style; a nine-try 59-7 win against London Scottish at Dillingham Park that condemned the Exiles to a fourth straight defeat. Ben Cambriani went over twice to go joint top of the try-scoring charts, as The Mob climbed to ninth in the table after four rounds.