Late try sinks Cinderford

REDRUTH 21 CINDERFORD 20

REDRUTH ended Cinderford’s good run of form in National One in the cruellest of fashions.

The Foresters were on a high after winning their last three games in a row and tasted success in three out of their last four road trips. But Redruth winger Nathan Pedley broke Cinderford hearts when he crossed the whitewash in the dying moments of the game to snatch victory away. One of Cinderford’s best players in that run of wins, New Zealand fly-half Matty James, will also kick himself for missing two crucial penalties which proved costly.

The margin between victory and defeat can be a fine one and James’ two attempts struck the woodwork on each occasion. The home team took the lead when Cinderford were caught napping and a quickly-taken penalty gave Chris Fuca an easy try. Aaron Penberthy converted for a 7-0 advantage but England Under-20 prop Shaun Knight then got his side on the scoreboard. Following a period of sustained pressure on the Redruth line by Cinderford’s forwards, Knight was driven over from close quarters. Penberthy then pushed his side ahead again with a well-struck penalty shortly after half-time. He then extended that gap even further with another penalty when Adryan Winnan was brought down by Cinderford centre Dewi Scourfield. Scourfield was given 10 minutes in the sin-bin.

However, the 14 men rallied and set up another series of phases on Redruth’s line for Knight to go over again. Cinderford then stepped up the pressure with James chipping ahead to the corner and tefan Hawley touching down to give his side the lead. Penberthy pegged the lead back to a single point with a penalty, only to see his score cancelled out by the boot of his opposite man James. The referee deemed the Kiwi had been obstructed while chasing his own kick ahead and he gladly took advantage. But the Cornishmen had the last word when space opened up for Pedley to skirt through.

REDRUTH: Winnan; Morris, Bonds, Thirlby, Pedley; Penberthy, Simmons; Jacques, Gidlow, Joyce; Cook, Carroll; Duncan, Fuca, Bright. Reps: Goddfellow, Cowan-Dickie, Stupple, Heard, Rule.

CINDERFORD: Hawley; Winchle, Boston, Scourfield, Palm; James, P Knight; Smart, Duncan, S Knight; Bufton, King; Foden, Brown, Panaho. Reps: Meadows, Hall, Jones, Elisara, Pointon.

Source:thisisgloucestershire