Cinderford return to winning ways

BLACKHEATH 18 CINDERFORD 27

CINDERFORD ended a run of four consecutive defeats in National One with a much-needed success at Blackheath for their second win on the road this season.

The Foresters have now won just as many games away from Dockham Road as they have at home, as the victory moved them up to 13th position.

The Rectory Field crowd could see how much the result meant to the Gloucestershire side with some heroic defending keeping the hosts out.

Blackheath were camped on Cinderford’s goal-line for the final dying moments but the visitors’ sheer will to keep out their opponents eventually prevailed.

In April, Cinderford produced their best performance of last season when they battered Blackheath 41-14 and it proved to be a happy hunting ground once again for them.

Cinderford had built up an impressive 20-6 lead before Blackheath’s replacements came on and nearly robbed the away side of the win.

Cinderford full-back Brett Turner kicked two successful penalties to give his side the lead, but they were matched by Blackheath’s kicker Paul Humphries to level it up.

But Cinderford stepped up their game and got the all-important scores either side of half-time.

Fly-half Danny Pointon led his side well from behind the scrum and a number of phases created a chance for second row Dave Bufton to breach the stretched Blackheath defence.

Turner added the conversion to lead on 35 minutes and then after the break number eight Mike Panaho was helped over the line by his mauling forwards.

Turner again added two more points for a 14-point cushion.

The Blackheath substitutes then injected some impetus on the hour mark.

They were rewarded straightaway with a penalty try after Cinderford infringed at a scrum.

Then 10 minutes later Blackheath’s pack again got the better of their counterparts and they were pushed over the goal-line but the ball was knocked on.

Richard Paddick did score a try from a charged down kick but the crucial conversion, which would have levelled the scores, was missed.

Cinderford’s defence then held firm during the deluge and skipper Paul Knight had the last word with another converted try.

BLACKHEATH: White; Moan, Windsor, Hamilton, Smith; Humphries, Gava; Legg, O’Mera, Brett; Bason, Dewale; Pike, Allen, Jones. Replacements: Knight, Winwood, Paddick, Ibrahim, Lankshear.

CINDERFORD: Turner; Winterbottom, D Knight, Scourfield, Winchle; Pointon, P Knight; Duncan, Deacon; Bufton, King; Nicholls, McNeil, Panaho. Replacements: Smart, Hall, Foden, Boston, Wilcox.

Star man: Danny Pointon

Source: thisisgloucestershire