CALDY suffered a heavy 48-19 defeat at Coventry on Saturday but there were positive signs as the season moves into its final month.

It was the Wirral side who took the lead opening the scoring through a try from Rhys Hayes after a quick set play caught Coventry off guard and the fly half slid over.

Coventry responded well pressuring Caldy from the restart, with their player of the season Pat Pelligrini taking one of many opportunities to bring the game level on the quarter hour.

The hosts took the lead at the midway point of the first half after a lineout on the 22 metre line and Will Rigg was able to score under the posts.

Caldy kept pace with their full time opponents and created some good opportunities, however the strength of the Coventry backline were able to repel every time they got near the try-line.

A third Coventry try came seven minutes before the break after a tap and go penalty and Pelligrini found the space to allow Rigg to dive over.

A bonus point try for Coventry came on the stroke of half time as Rhys Thomas went over from close range.

The second half was just as difficult as the first for Caldy as Coventry scored a fifth try through Tom Ball after successful a lineout.

Caldy got a try through Sam Dickinson scoring in the corner following some great phases after the scrum and it looked like a comeback could be on the cards with half an hour left on the clock.

But Caldy started to tire and Coventry took the opportunity to take the game away from the visitors through a hat trick from Rigg and a Louis James try with four minutes remaining before Caldy finished the scoring when scrum half Chris Pilgrim slid over.

Caldy are now ninth in the Championship and need one more victory to mathematically be secured a place in the second tier for next season. The best opportunity could be on Saturday when bottom side London Scottish visit Paton Field for the first time.