Coventry started the way they meant to go on, carrying hard and building phases from the off, and it took just 6 minutes for the pressure to tell - quick hands out wide created an overlap for Tom Bacon to finish, Houston adding the extras for an early 7-0 lead.

Rotherham hit back almost immediately, forcing their way over from a scrum after a loose ball gave them the platform, though the conversion was missed to keep Coventry in front at 7-5.

Coventry survived a scare on 12 minutes when the Titans were sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on as they pressed their line, and made the extra man count three minutes later - a solid scrum let Sam Maunder break from the back of a ruck to dive over, Houston converting for 14-5.

Tom Bacon was shown yellow on 21 minutes for a collision in the air, and Rotherham made the most of the extra man, working an overlap from a 5-metre lineout to score in the corner and close the gap to 14-12. But with Bacon back on and momentum with Coventry again, they pulled clear before the break. Maunder grabbed his second on 32 minutes, finishing after a fine break from Api Bavadra, and Houston's boot made it 21-12. A driving lineout took Coventry to within 5 metres soon after, and on 37 minutes Jordon Poole powered over from close range for a third converted try of the afternoon - 28-12.

Coventry went in at the break firmly on top: three tries to one, dominant up front, and dangerous every time they had quick ball in hand.

Coventry made a triple change shortly after the hour - Tumy Onasanya, Ethan Hunt and Josh Barton coming on for Benz Salomon, Jordon Poole and Sam Maunder - with Peter Sullivan following soon after for Api Bavadra. The fresh legs made an instant impact: a quick tap from Barton on 63 minutes sent Houston away unopposed, and he finished the job himself with the conversion to stretch the lead back out to 35-24.

With 15 minutes to go, Coventry made four further changes for the closing stretch. Tommy Mathews came on to bring up his 50th appearance for the club, and Coby Stanton-Ford made his senior debut having signed his first senior academy contract earlier in the week - two individual landmarks on what was otherwise a tough afternoon for the team. Dan Green and Marcus Rhodes completed the changes.

But Rotherham weren't finished. A loose ball in a Coventry attack gifted the Titans a 50:22 on 71 minutes; they won the lineout, drove over, and converted to make it 35-31. Coventry conceded a breakdown penalty three minutes later that let the Titans kick into their 22, and on 76 minutes Rotherham struck again - a chip over the top from a lineout was gathered by their full-back, converted to put the Titans in front for the first time at 38-35.

Coventry came straight back at them, working hard through their backs, only to be pinged for holding on. Rotherham couldn't find their kicking lengths though, and a penalty deep in the 80th minute let Houston kick Coventry to within 10 metres of the line. Dan Green went over from the resulting pressure, but the try was chalked off for a forward pass in the build-up. Coventry still had the advantage, so Houston kicked again to the corner - but the resulting lineout was penalised, and the referee's whistle went with it, confirming a 38-35 defeat.

Tries: Bacon (6'), Maunder (15', 32'), Poole (37'), Houston (63')