THE Cornish All Blacks started well but were eventually well beaten by a team in the bottom six who took their opportunities well. The home side opened the scoring with a 10th minute penalty for offside after some sustained attacking, kicked by centre Mal Roberts.

Coventry were playing with a strong wind and had an early penalty opportunity but scrum half Lee Audis had a rare miss. He went on to land four conversions and a penalty.

Coventry took the lead at the end of the first quarter and never lost it: the ball spun out left in the home 22 and centre Andrew McGrory wove through unopposed to the posts for Audis to land the first of his four conversions.

The All Blacks came storming back and won a second penalty, again for offside, on the 22 which Roberts landed to bring his side within a point.

However, a minute later Coventry extended their lead. A chip cross kick by fly half Danny Richards was followed up by right wing Jeff Gregson who ran through to score, Audis again adding the extras.

Five minutes before the interval Gregson made it two well, if luckily taken - the All Blacks were attacking towards the 22 and tried to stretch the defence with long passes, one of which was gratefully intercepted by Gregson who cantered through unopposed to the posts for Audis to again oblige with a couple more points.

Approaching half time the visitors found themselves in the happy position of being 21-6 up, and just before the interval Launceston's Roberts and Coventry hooker Dale Ager were both yellow carded for persistent fighting.

Just on half time the All Blacks finally got close to the Coventry line on the far left, drove and skipper flanker Tom Rawlings linked with hooker Darren Semmens to take the move on with prop Tim Mathias going over under a pile of bodies for full back Jake Murphy to bullet over a fine conversion.

But Coventry's first half performance wasn't finished. In injury time they attacked and McGrory and Gregson sent in left wing Tom Harris for Audis yet again to add vital extras.

With the wind now behind them it seemed that the All Blacks would come back with a vengeance and eventually carry off the spoils, but they flattered to deceive.

They now used their tough forwards to churn upfield and eventually from a 15-yard pushover hooker Semmens was driven over. Murphy's conversion was wide but within minutes the All Blacks had a second try.

Replacement centre James Hawken went on a mazy run right through the Coventry team and out the other side. He was virtually clear, and passed to Richard Bright, but agonisingly the wing knocked on.

Nevertheless the pressure was maintained and after a lot of powerful rolling mauls the ball was spun right and chipped beautifully through by fly half Lewis Webb to sit up perfectly for Roberts to jump at it and throw himself over the line. Murphy's conversion was again wide but the Cornishmen were now within one score of their opponents.

Just when it looked as though the All Blacks were going to take command they gifted the game to the Midlanders, who frequently gave the home pack as good as it gave them. Just after the hour they mounted a driving maul on the far left and lock Sam Herrington was driven over to give his side a 10-point lead.

Back came the All Blacks, driving furiously to the line and over, but the referee was unsighted and the killer blow was struck four minutes from time when Audis landed an easy penalty after the All Blacks had dropped a scrum right in front of their posts.

All Blacks: J Murphy, R Bright (J Hawken, 12-26), M Roberts, S Perry (Hawken, 40), K Done, L Webb, R Coote, T Mathias, D Semmens, J Andrew (N Bayliss, 35), B Hilton, B Jenkins, G Fleming (J Childs, 72), T Rawlings (captain) and L Dwyer. Replacements not used: J Salter and A Lockley.

Scorers: tries, T Mathias, D Semmens, M Roberts; con, J Murphy; pens, Roberts 2.

Coventry: M Walls, J Gregson, H Stevens, A McGrory, T Harris, D Richards, L Audis (M Mountford, 75), T Warren (L Beales, 64), D Ager (M Price, 53), M Kent, S Herrington, A Weaver (M Price, 42-52) (S Pearson, 53), B Daynes, A Nash and N Southern (captain). Replacement not used: E Read.

Scorers: tries, A McGrory, J Gregson 2, T Harris, S Herrington; cons, L Audis 4; pen, Audis.

Referee: Mr Matt Carley (RFU).