Cinderford ……21
Blackheath ….16
THERE was late drama at Cinderford when the referee awarded the home side a penalty try for a deliberate knock-on, which enabled them to complete the double over Blackheath.
Much of the match was a real dogfight between two well-matched sets of forwards.
The visitors opened the scoring after six minutes when outside-half Mark Cooke landed a penalty, but the Forest of Dean side soon struck back with a well-created try from winger Ed Bogue, which Paul Morgan clinically converted.
Cinderford had much the better of territory and possession for the remainder of the first half but they were unable to add to their score and Cooke landed his second penalty just before the interval to make it 7-6 at the break.
The visitors were soon in front as play re-started when Cooke added a third kick at goal, but once again the home side soon responded when Blackheath lost possession at a lineout on the 22m line and the ball found its way to scrum-half Jimmy Williams who sniped through to score a try, which Morgan converted with aplomb.
TEAMS
CINDERFORD: Sheldon, Smith, Babarinsa, Boulton, Bogue, Morgan, Williams, Porter, Baker, Elliot, Gilbert, Lemon, Lane, Shields, Hone
Replacements: Smart, Brockett, Evans, Tovey, Stuart-Smith
BLACKHEATH: Fielding, Lloyd, Pickersgillf, Burcham, Foster, Cooke, Liebenberg, Williams, Morris, Herriott, Patrick, Peters, Ure, Baldwin, Burns
Replacements: Perks, Seward, Owen, Hiscocks, Staff
REFEREE: Calum Howard
ATTENDANCE: 145
Star man
Sam Baker – Cinderford
Cooke was then off target with a long-range penalty, but when Leo Fielding broke through the home defence from his own 22, he put winger Jake Lloyd away to turn on the afterburners and score the try, which Cooke converted.
Cinderford produced a late spell of pressure and the referee adjudged that a score was likely when the visitors infringed and awarded them a penalty try, which completed the scoring for the home side to clinch a narrow victory.
