Cinderford RFC U16s vs Abergavenny RFC U16s

Abergavenny RFC U16      22

 

Cinderford RFC U16           5

 

Cinderford RFC U16s faced the toughest of new season opening matches on Sunday, with an away match against an Abergavenny U16s side able to boast several Welsh regional youth development squad members amongst their number.

As expected, the close quarter encounters were a little on the sporty side, particularly in the opening minutes as the two sides introduced themselves to each other on the field of play. Abergavenny came flying out of the blocks from the kick off and almost scored in the right hand corner in the seventh minute but were held up in goal by an outstanding tackle from Sam Baker.  But, just over a minute later, Abergavenny crossed the line for a try near Cinderford’s posts, although there was more than a hint of a knock-on in the immediate build up that went unnoticed. With the following conversion the home side went into a deserved 7-0 lead.

 

 

 

Cinderford started to get back into the game but occasional unforced errors led to the visitors handing over possession and playing too much of the game in their own half. Abergavenny doubled their lead ten minute later when they powered through a glaring gap in the Cinderford defensive line in the centre to score under the posts for a converted try.  Abergavenny then stretched their lead to 17-0 with a penalty kick on the stroke of half time.

 

 

 

 

Abergavenny stretched further ahead early in the second half, when they showed great pace and strength in centre to make the initial break and create an overlap on the left that sent their No11 away up the touchline and over in the corner for an unconverted score to make it 22-0 to the home side.

 

 

This match saw several new Cinderford signings take to the field for the first time, including: Matt Masters, Sam Watkins, Kyle Frowen, Lewis Overthrow, Luke Crundon and Sam Hatton, all of whom made positive impressions on their debut.  The injection of this new talent into the game at various intervals steadily brought the balance of play back around.  When Cinderford pressure was rewarded with a scrum 10metres inside the Abergavenny half, Kyle Frowen broke up the blindside and drew the Abergavenny cover defence before offloading a perfectly timed pass to scrum half Sam Watkins on his outside, and Watkins burst over for a try on his debut.

 

When measured in isolation, the second half finished all square at 5-5, with both sides much more evenly balanced and neither team able to add further points to the scoreboard during the last 25minutes of this match.

Cinderford RFC U16s vs St. Mary’s Old Boys RFC U16s

Cinderford RFC U16           20

 

St. Mary’s OB RFC U16       15

 

Cinderford RFC U16s powered their way to a commanding 20-0 lead inside the first 30minutes over visitors St. Mary’s Old Boys of North Bristol on Sunday.  Cinderford put St. Mary’s on the back foot from the start, dominating the forwards exchanges and set pieces, which took their visitors somewhat by surprise. The opening try came in the seventh minute after a period of sustained pressure.  Cinderford crossed the line moments earlier but were held up in goal, forcing a 5m scrum from which No 8 Kyle Frowen burst through to score.  Matt Masters’ conversion attempt struck the outside of the upright to leave the score at 5-0.

 

 

St. Mary’s rallied and pulled back three points from a penalty after Cinderford were penalised for not releasing.  Cinderford then turned up the heat.  Outside half, Matt Master popped a timed pass into the path of Kyle Frowen in the centre of the park, just inside the Cinderford half, Frowen spotted a gap in the St Mary’s defence and burst through at an angle before straightening his line and offloading to Liam Littleton on his outside.  Littleton showed a good turn of pace and sold a dummy to the defence before popping the ball to winger, Tom Ward in support. Ward was brought down 7meters out but Cinderford were in quick support and recycled the ball at the ruck where prop Toby Farrier picked up and crashed his way through the defence to score and make it 10-3.  For the second time in the match, Matt Masters’ conversion attempt rebounded back off an upright.

 

Cinderford showed good pace and handling in scoring their third try from a move started and finished by Chance Ridler.  Having picked up the loose ball knocked forward by St. Mary’s near the Cinderford 22, Ridler exchanges passes with players on his outside on the left wing before spring up the touchline and turning on the after burners to edge past the last man in defence for St Mary’s and score in the left corner.  The conversion attempt went across face of goal and the score remained 15-3 to the Forester side.

 

 

 

 

In midweek, this Cinderford U16s side saw 13 of its 30 strong squad go through to the final selection stages of Gloucestershire County U16s, of which 11 players have made the final cut and been selected by the County, the largest representation of any single club in the county and a great credit to this outstanding team.

The Cinderford pack was immense and the home side’s fourth try came after St. Mary’s found no answer to the sustained physical onslaught of the Cinderford forwards. The front row combination of Jake Drinkwater, Niall “Beanie” Spencer and Toby Farrier, plus second row of Jake Bonser and Josh Lee, and a back row comprising of Lewis Overthrow, Kyle Frowen and Luke Crundon boasts 6 County squad members, who dominated at the set piece, particularly the scrum.  Having drawn in the opposition defence in numbers to defend at a ruck under the St. Mary’s posts, Cinderford moved the ball right and into the path of Luke Kell at centre who barged over for a try near the corner.  Incredibly, Matt Masters struck a conversion attempt against the face of an upright for the third time in this match, and the score remained at 20-3.

 

 

St. Mary’s threw everything into attack from the restart in a desperate attempt to get back into this game and showed some excellent handling of their own struck with two quick tries, one converted, at a time when Cinderford were rotating squad members to pull back to 20-15.  Despite conceding these quick points, Cinderford never really looked to be any real danger and put St. Mary’s on the back foot again quickly afterwards.  A storming run through the centre by Lewis Overthrow, who was brought down short of the line, forced the St. Mary’s defence to rally quickly and clear the ball.  Unfortunately, moments after the ensuing ruck, the St. Mary’s outside half, who had put in three big defensive hits in quick succession shortly beforehand, collapsed on the pitch and required paramedic attention before being ambulanced to hospital with suspected concussion.

 

As a result, and with the player receiving treatment on the pitch, this exciting match that had been brimming to a climax, was rightly abandoned with 20minutes still to play, Cinderford claiming a thoroughly deserved win.

All at Cinderford extend their best wishes for a speedy recovery to the St. Mary’s outside half and look forward with great anticipation to the next encounter between these two fine rugby sides.

Cinderford let 10-point lead slip

BLAYDON RFC  36 v 24 CINDERFORD RFC

CINDERFORD will be disappointed to have missed out on their first victory of the season after making an excellent start.

They can take some consolation from gaining a first point – a try-scoring bonus – despite at different times losing three of their forwards to the sinbin.

Only four minutes were on the clock when they ran a clearance straight back, resulting in a scrum on the Blaydon line.

The home side had the put-in but Cinderford wheeled effectively and the pass out went directly to the hands of flanker Adam Nicholls, who gratefully accepted the gift and touched it down.

More success quickly followed when Dewi Scourfield and Stefan Hawley combined down the left.

When good ball was won at the ruck, it was shipped on to the other wing where Alistair Bressington stormed over in a corner.

It was a brilliant start for the visitors but then it all went wrong and 10-0 rapidly became 31-10 in Blaydon’s favour 10 minutes into the second period.

The Cinderford defence went missing as Paddy Dias, Scott Riddell, Sean English and James Fitzpatrick crossed for Blaydon tries, and fly-half Richard Windle added three conversions and a penalty.

Cinderford decided to fight back with skipper Paul Knight leading the way with a solo charge from a tap penalty, and then through Nicholls from close range after the pack had laid siege to the Blaydon line.

Bressington converted both tries and hopes increased about Cinderford claimjing the win.

Sadly for them it was not to be as Blaydon responded with a fifth try through winger Matt Dehaty.

Having started the stronger, however, Cinderford were again on the front foot at the end, and when the final whistle was blown Scourfield was over the try line but held up under the Blaydon posts.

More misery for Foresters

CINDERFORD have been hit by a backs crisis ahead of their tough trip to Blaydon in National One tomorrow.

With kickers Danny Trigg and Tim Stevenson already ruled out until January following shoulder surgery and centre Dave Knight still not available, yet more misery has been piled on coach Phil Greenaway.

Centre Ryan Cumbers has had his suspected broken ankle confirmed and Ollie Winterbottom will not travel to the North East following his concussion last week.

To make things worse, back row Dan Hall has a broken thumb, forcing the coach to dig out his old boots for a possible appearance.

Greenaway said: “We have got George Evans that can come back in and some of the second-team players have been playing quite well so they may get a look in, people like Will Foden and Steph Hawley.

“I might have to get my boots out and sit on the bench which I am quite excited about.

“Dan Hall is waiting to hear if he needs surgery, Ryan is looking like he will be out for eight weeks and Ollie will not travel after his bang on the head.”

The Foresters have started the season in disappointing fashion, losing all of their first three matches without picking up any bonus points.

Only whipping boys Manchester, who have so far conceded a total of 388 points in their three fixtures, are below Cinderford in the table.

But despite those damning statistics, Greenaway is clinging on to the memory of last season’s trip to fourth placed Blaydon when they were one of the few teams to return home victorious.

“It is a good challenge for us and one we are looking forward to,” he said.

“Not many teams go up to Blaydon and come home with a win.

“We did win there last season and I still do not know how we did because we played terribly.

“But I would take anything this weekend. It is a tough trip but we went there last year and won, so we will hang on to that.”

source: thisisgloucestershire

We threw game away: Greenaway

CINDERFORD head coach Phil Greenaway says his side were the architects of their own downfall after losing 34-26 to Nuneaton.

The Foresters have now lost all three of their opening games in the new National One.

The Nuns also rubbed salt into the wounds by sealing a bonus point after running in four tries at Dockham Road.

Greenaway’s men raced into a 17-0 lead after 20 minutes but Nuneaton struck back in a seven-minute period with three converted tries, to the disappointment of Cinderford’s head coach.

“There is no way we should have lost the game today after being in that position after 20 minutes,” Greenaway said.

“We just gave them territory, gave away penalties and our own mistakes of not catching simple high balls when we were not under any pressure.

“Then a little bit of panic crept in and the boys started questioning themselves a little bit.

“Fair play to Nuneaton they kept coming at us and they were dogged. But that game is one we should have won and if we want to compete in this league then we have to win those games.”

Nuneaton pulled away in the dying moments and Greenaway said his players have a lot of work to do before their trip to Blaydon next Saturday.

“We should have won the game, there is no two ways about it, it was there for the taking and we have certainly let ourselves down,” he added.

“We just made far too many errors and gave far too many penalties away and it feels to me like we absolutely handed the game to them on a plate rather than them coming out and winning it.

“We have to be better than that, we can not accept people coming here and taking five points off us this year.

“It is not something that I want to put my name to as a coach, it is not something the club will appreciate or be proud of.

“We want performances out there that a club can be proud of and the players individually can be proud of and that has to come through us working hard again this week.”

source: thisisgloucestershire

Foresters denied after late drama

CINDERFORD RFC 26 – 34 NUNEATON RFC

CINDERFORD remain pointless after three matches in National One after newly-promoted Nuneaton inflicted a heart-breaking defeat at Dockham Road.

The teams were neck and neck going into the final minutes after the Foresters blew a 17-0 first-half lead and Nuneaton denied them a losing bonus point at the death.

Ali Bressington gave the hosts a good start with a first-minute penalty before number eight Mike Panaho opened his account for his new club since signing from Dings Crusaders in the summer.

After a concerted period of pressure on the Nuns’ line, Panaho was bundled over in a corner on eight minutes and Bressington converted.

Things got better for Cinderford on 15 minutes when Nuneaton openside Ben Avent was yellow-carded for throwing a punch and from the scrum Ryan Cumbers stepped inside to score.

Bressington added two more to take a 17-0 lead before Nuneaton scrum-half Ian Thomas missed a simple penalty and Cumbers limped off injured.

Nuneaton then turned the game around in a crazy seven-minute period when they seized the initiative with three converted tries to lead 21-17 at the break.

Cinderford missed tackles allowed Nuneaton winger Elliot Brown to skip through for the first of his three tries on 26 minutes and Thomas converted.

Two minutes later the visitors were awarded a penalty try when Brown was impeded as he was about to score and Thomas made no mistake with the kick.

More lacklustre defence granted Brown his second try on 33 minutes and Thomas again obliged before missing two more penalties before the break, while Cinderford’s Ollie Winterbottom left concussed.

Cinderford began well with Mike Wilcox’s drop goal while Bressington missed a penalty, but Thomas pushed his side ahead again with a penalty.

Bressington pulled his team in front with two penalties on 57 and 72 minutes, but Thomas pegged them back two minutes later after Cinderford substitute Luke Plummer was sinbinned.

In the dying moments, with Cinderford pushing for the win, Thomas chipped over the defence and Brown collected his hat-trick and four-try bonus point in a corner.

Thomas’ conversion pushed the deficit to eight to deny Cinderford anything.

Cinderford: A Bressington; O Winterbottom, R Cumbers, D Scourfield, R Haile; D Pointon, P Knight; J Meadows, N Matthews, P Kennedy; D Wright, C Jones; D Hall, C McNeil, M Panaho.

Replacements: A Deacon, B Saville, E King, M Wilcox, L Plummer.

Nuneaton: Moore; Brown, Takarang, Douglas, MacDonald; Poulton, Thomas; Davies, Bray, Pickford; Hurst, Griffiths; Smith, Avent, Eboral.

Replacements: Taylor, Ryan, Critchley, Daish, R Smith.

Source: thisisgloucestershire

Foresters searching for first win

CINDERFORD head coach Phil Greenaway has described his side’s clash against Nuneaton at Dockham Road tomorrow as a must-win game.

The Foresters have begun the new campaign with two defeats against Launceston and Esher and welcome newly-promoted Nuneaton to the Forest of Dean this weekend.

However, Greenaway knows his side will have to register their first win of the new campaign sooner rather than later to get the ball rolling.

“You always want to start the season well otherwise you are in a position where you are desperate for a win,” he said.

“Tomorrow is a must-win game. We do not like losing at home.

“They are a good side and will be well coached and will want to chuck the ball around and play a bit.

“But we can’t worry about the opposition.

“I said to the boys we can’t win the game in the first 20 minutes but we can go a long way to losing it so we have to make sure we hang in there.”

Nuneaton will be on a high after thrashing National One whipping boys Manchester 95-0 last weekend.

It is a pattern Greenaway and his side will have to get used to as they are following Manchester in every fixture this season.

“They had a decent win against Manchester and we have just found out that we are following Manchester in every fixture this season,” Greenaway added.

“There is nothing we can do about it. All we can do is just get on with it and make sure we win.

“You score 100 points against anyone and it is always going to boost your confidence.”

Greenaway can welcome back his Gloucester Academy contingent, including Danny Wright, Mike Panaho, Mike Wilcox, Reuben Haile and Marcus Brown.

Glanville: Esher will take some stopping

ESHER 62 CINDERFORD 15

MIKE SCHMID’s Esher continued their scintillating start to the season by taking their tally over 200 points with a comprehensive won over Cinderford.

The Foresters won seven times on the road last season, including four in a row between February and April, but they were no match for the Surrey outfit.

Esher, who were relegated from the old National One last season, crushed Manchester 148-0 in their opening fixture and are in impressive form.

Cinderford tackled hard and a couple of scuffles showed their frustration but Esher’s power and willingness to run had the game well and truly won by half-time.

With several substitutions made shortly into the second period the impulse slowed but that does not detract from Cinderford’s efforts in making the half a more competitive contest.

Esher, with a brace of tries from Garrick Cowley, Sam Ulph, captain David Slemen, Seb Jewell and one from Roderick Turner helped them dominate thanks to the power of their pack.

Cinderford’s points came from two tries by substitute Reuben Haile and converted by Ali Bressington, with the same man kicking an early penalty.

“Esher are a tough side,” Cinderford’s director of rugby Pete Glanville said.

“They are tough up front, move it well and they’re quick outside.

“I can’t say much more than that. They will take some stopping.”

Esher: Ulph, Copsey, Taylor, Jewell, Hylton, Slemen, Cowley, Tunnicliff, Campbell, Warren, Barker, Turner, Gaynor, Stitcher, Renwick. Replacements: Blakeburn, Corrigan, Barnes, Marler, Baumberg.

Cinderford: Bressington, Winterbottom, Cumbers, Scourfield, Andy Nicholls, Pointon, Knight, Meadows, Matthews, Deacon, King, Jones, Adam Nicholls, McNeil, Hall. Replacements: Saville, Bufton, Bryan, Haile, Kennedy.

star man: Shaun Renwick (Esher)

source: thisisgloucestershire

Greenaway hoping for more away day success

CINDERFORD must continue their good away record tomorrow if they are to return from high-scoring Esher with anything in National One.

The Foresters won seven times on the road last season, including four in a row between February and April.

Esher, who were relegated from the old National One, crushed Manchester 148-0 in their opening fixture, but Cinderford head coach Phil Greenaway says his side are looking forward to the match.

“We have nothing to lose and they have everything to lose,” he said.

“The longer we can hang on in there, the twitchier and more nervous they will get, so it is a challenge we are looking forward to.

“I saw their score-line and Manchester are not the greatest side in the world.

“It has certainly focused our minds a bit more than it would had they just won by 10 points or so.”

Greenaway explained the secret behind the Forest of Dean outfit’s away successes.

“People say being away is a disadvantage but I do not see it like that,” he said.

“We have got people together for longer periods of time, the guys can bond more, we can talk about things more, we are spending a bit more time on the bus travelling there for a few hours, so going away focuses the job in hand.”

The only injury doubt Cinderford have from their 32-19 defeat to Launceston at Dockham Road last weekend is Arian Duncan.

The hooker went on in the second half for Nigel Matthews and lasted just three minutes before his leg was stamped on.

Greenaway said Duncan’s three-minute cameo provided grim viewing on the match DVD later, and the squad would also be without their Gloucester Academy starlets.

“We have not decided whether to cite yet or not,” said Greenaway.

“Mike Wilcox, Reuban Haile, Shaun Knight and Danny Wright are involved with Gloucester A again on Monday against Wasps.

“But that is all good for their development and once this week is over we will have them available.”

Fortey: We conceded soft tries

CINDERFORD coach Lee Fortey says the players now appreciate how hard life in National League One is going to be.

Cinderford lost 32-19 at home to Launceston on day one of the new season.

Fortey said: “We started well but gave away some soft tries. I thought the forwards did OK, but at this level you’ve got to take your chances when they come.

“Launceston looked a decent side and I thought they managed the ref quite well, slowing our ball up and not allowing us to play to patterns.

“We deserved a bonus point but we need to iron out the mistakes. We defended quite well as a team but there’s nothing you can do when individuals make mistakes.”

Cinderford go to Surrey this week to play promotion-chasing Esher, who hammered Manchester 148-0 last Saturday.

Fortey said: “I know Esher have recruited in order to go straight back up, but that’s an incredible score.

“We’ve got a very young side and they’ve got to mature quickly. There won’t be any easy games in this league and I think the players now appreciate that.”

Source: thisisgloucestershire

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