Just eight days after the Jets almost shocked the defending Champion London Blitz at the Butts Park Arena, the two Premier League powers collided again at Finsbury Park Stadium. The score wasn’t as close this time with the hosts running out 39-20 victors but the Blitz will know that they’ll have to perform much better if they hope to hang onto their national title. Coventry travelled with their smallest team in more than five years as a spate of injuries had decimated their squad.

Gerry McManus was again in charge, as Stuart Franklin awaits medical clearance to fly from Spain, and the legendary coach had his work cut out for him as he oversaw just 25 players. Containing the Blitz was never going to be easy and with Coventry’s special teams coverage once again poor they consistently allowed London fantastic field position. Vince Brown once again led the Jets’ defence as they stood tall until the second quarter when Clive Palumbo was adjudged to have held onto Fred Boyle’s 13 yard touchdown pass. Ed Morgan added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Lorne Sam responded immediately, a 46 yard completion to birthday boy Jeremy Simms set up Brown for a 3 yard dive into the endzone, his second touchdown of the season. With Coventry’s line unable to find an answer to London’s kick block team, McManus elected to go for two but Sam’s pass fell incomplete. London snatched another score before the half as Todd Scott knifed into the endzone on a 3 yard score to add to the two touchdowns he scored the previous week at the Butts. Morgan’s kick was blocked by Sam and the Jets reached the break trailing by just seven.

The Blitz made short work of adding to their lead as they took the ball to open the second period and drove downfield for Boyle’s 24 yard touchdown pass to Tom Shennan, Morgan was again on target for a 20-6 lead. Simms made another telling grab this time for a 26 yard touchdown, again though, Sam’s two point pass fell incomplete. The Jets couldn’t keep the offensive momentum going and a punt on their following possession led to a 72 yard touchdown return for Morgan to stretch the lead to two scores, after his exertion though Morgan understandably failed to hit his point after kick.

Boyle skipped into the endzone from 2 yards out to get the fourth quarter off to a perfect start for the Blitz, Morgan making no mistake with his kick on this occasion for a 33-12 lead. Big completions to Tony Perkins and Simms put the Jets quickly back into the Blitz redzone where Courtney Pope kept alive his impressive touchdown streak with a 5 yard grab from Sam before Simms caught the two point conversion to bring Coventry to within two scores.

Rod Bradley’s 14 yard reception on the final play of the game padded the score for the home side as they declined the opportunity to field any of their younger players with the game already won. With Franklin’s return imminent he stands to take over an 0-4 team that is full of a new found spirit and nowhere near ready to give up on the season.
You can see how the Jets bounce back as they host London’s other top flight club, the Cobras at the Butts Park Arena on Saturday the 3rd of July, kick off is set for 18:00. Tickets are £5 for adults and £2 for under 16s. Family tickets are also available at a cost of £10 and cover 2 adults and up to 4 children. For further information on the Coventry Jets visit their website www.coventryjets.co.uk or follow them on Twitter www.twitter.com/CoventryJets.

Photo: Jon Dwyer Gets To Grips With Jon Chiltern, Assisted By Kev Mills and Rookie Colm Jones. Courtesy of Scott Moynihan Images