Bressington helps sink ex-Cinderford team-mates

Stourbridge RFC 20 – 13 Cinderford RFC

CINDERFORD are nervously looking over their shoulders at the National One relegation zone following this defeat, writes Will Wood.

Stourbridge completed a league double over the Foresters to leave them six points outside the drop zone in 13th position.

Neither side could breach the defences in the opening half an hour, before Cinderford centre Dave Knight was yellow-carded for an offence at a ruck.

Cinderford fly-half Matty James registered their first points with a penalty on 33 minutes, but the home side constructed a well-worked try to take the lead.

Ben Hughes carried the ball strongly in the loose and some superb handling from winger Charlie Fellows saw him squeeze in at the corner.

Alastair Bressington, who joined Cinderford last summer from Stourbridge but returned to them in January, could not add the conversion.

It was 5-3 at the break and soon after the interval James put Cinderford back in front with another penalty kick.

Defences were again on top until a frantic final 10 minutes saw the game come to life.

Stourbridge scored two tries to seal the game, with Cinderford’s consolation try not enough to claim a losing bonus point.

First, former England Students hooker Harry Collins went over from a driving line-out move on 70 minutes.

Then six minutes later his front row colleague Adam Sturdy crossed in almost identical fashion.

Bressington converted to push Stourbridge into a 17-6 lead with minutes remaining.

Stourbridge had prop John Vickers sin-binned and Cinderford took advantage.

Winger Kyle Palm popped up to score a late try on 80 minutes which James improved to pull them within four points.

But Bressington knocked over a crucial penalty kick in added on time to confirm the win and deny Cinderford anything from the game.

STOURBRIDGE: Williams; Bressington, Billig, Barkley, Fellows; Robinson, Higgins; Sturdy, Collins, VIckers; Hughes, Atkinson; Rodley, Cooper, Pearson. Reps: Thomas, Baker, Homer, Watkins, Richardson.

CINDERFORD: Hawley; Winchle, Boston, D Knight, Palm; James, Pointon; Kennedy, Hall, S Knight; Bufton, Wright; Jones, Foden, Evans. Reps: Meadows, Duncan, Panaho, Stevenson, Arnott.

Source:thisisgloucestershire