Hard-working Cinderford push Scottish

CINDERFORD 13 – 21 LONDON SCOTTISH

CINDERFORD pushed a talented London Scottish all the way, leading at half-time, before the visitors eventually clinched the game with three minutes remaining.

Scottish were piped on to the field in style but the welcome did not last long as Cinderford tore into them from the kick-off, with fly-half James Matthew missing an early penalty chance.

He made amends minutes later when his flighted kick to the wing set up attacking phases, ending with centre Paul Boston touching down.

Matthew converted but the Scottish pack was already causing the home eight problems in the set scrums and limiting quality possession.

Their fly-half, England Sevens player Simon Amor, reduced the arrears with a penalty and kicked another to touch to set up a series of attacks deep in Cinderford’s 22.

Their pack patiently worked through the phases until prop Matt Johnson burrowed over to score.

Amor’s conversion went over off a post to give Scottish the lead for the first time.

Stern defensive play, with flanker Will Foden outstanding, stopped Scottish in the their tracks and astute tactical kicking from half-backs Matthew and Danny Pointon took Cinderford up field to exert pressure which brought two fine penalty goals from Matthew, one from fully 40 metres, which gave the Foresters a 13-10 interval lead.

The muddy pitch had made the two teams hard to distinguish so Cinderford re-emerged in blue, but Scottish took the initiative.

Amor struck another penalty and then showed his class as he kept a three-quarter movement alive, appearing everywhere until replacement centre Sam Arnott crossed the line to stretch the lead to 18-13.

Scottish kept up the pressure in the final quarter with Amor adding a final penalty, spoiling Cinderford’s hopes of at least a losing bonus point.

Runs by Boston and wingers Kyle Palm and Robert Winchle gave Cinderford late hope and they were still pressing at the final whistle.

Cinderford: Steph Hawley; Robert Winchle; Paul Boston; Dewi Scourfield (E. Tito, 70); Kyle Palm; James Matthew; Danny Pointon (S. Arnott, 59); Phil Kennedy (J. Meadows, 67); Chris Hall (A. Duncan, 67); Andy Deacon; Dave Bufton; Chris Jones; Will Foden; Marcus Brown (G. Evans, 52); Mike Panaho.

London Scottish: S. Peel; C. Broughton; R. Damant (I. McInroy, 47); G. Trueman; R. Piotrowski; S. Amor; C. Grant (M. Heeks, 56); M. Johnson; T. Standfield (A. Ellis, 65), ; A. Fahey (J. Graham, 67); A. Karonias; I. Fullarton; T. Yellowlees (O. Brown, 52); B. Lonergan; W. Lipp.

Referee: Richard Davies (RFU)

Star player: For Cinderford, flanker Will Foden and for Scottish, Simon Amor.

I will not retire yet – Knight

CINDERFORD captain Paul Knight says he will not hang up his boots despite suffering a serious knee injury.

Scrum-half Knight snapped the anterior cruciate ligament, tore the posterior cruciate ligament and dislocated his knee in the narrow 21-20 defeat at Redruth on Saturday.

The former Sale Shark and Birmingham and Solihull captain is looking at a period of nine months on the sidelines but Knight says he will be back.

“I have to go under the knife and see what the consultants say but I would expect to be out for six to nine months,” said Knight.

“I spoke to Bryan Redpath about it at Gloucester and he said professional players that get physiotherapy every day are expected to be out for six to eight months but they get treatment every day.

“So for a player like me I would expect to be out for nine months so I should hopefully be back next December.

“I am gutted because the team is starting to click now and are playing well.

“But I will be back hopefully fitter and stronger.

“Once the swelling goes and I get a bit of movement back it will be nice

“At the moment it is still a bit sore.

“It is just one of those things in life that happens.”

Knight will miss the visit of National One’s second-placed team London Scottish to Dockham Road tomorrow.

The Foresters were hitting a bit of form after winning four out of five before Saturday with Knight and New Zealand fly-half Matty James looking good.

Scrum-half Danny Pointon is most likely to fill Knight’s boots but with the captain out for such a long time he says the rest of the young squad have to step up now.

“As a leader it is my job to get the boys going,” he added.

“Hopefully it won’t affect the boys too much and Danny can come in and pick up from exactly where I left off.

“I am the leader and they all respect me and do what I say.

“Players have to take responsibility for themselves now and step up and become men.

“I might be hanging up my boots in two years so they cannot rely on me all the time.

“They have to do it themselves at some point.”

Source:thisisgloucestershire

Knight out for rest of the season

PAUL Knight faces nine months out of action, but insists Cinderford haven’t seen the back of him.

The former England Counties, Sale, Gloucester and Birmingham scrum-half suffered a dislocated knee and also snapped the anterior cruciate ligament away at Redruth on February 20.

The Cinderford skipper also sustained cartilage damage.

The sickening injury happened just four minutes into the National League One match.

Knight previously pulled a hamstring in the pre-match warm-up but ruled himself fit to play.

He said: ”I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, but the injury happened when I was running with no one near me.

“It’s a bit of a nightmare but I’m determined to carry on playing. I’ll work hard during the next off-season and try and keep my head up.

“Danny Pointon and Sam Arnott (the two men most likely to replace Knight in the first-team) already know I’m coming back.

“I’ll try and stay involved but I get frustrated watching. Things were just starting to click and I was enjoying playing with Matt James.”

Knight, 33, a builder by trade, expects to be off work for around 10 days.

He has been plagued with knee injuries for several years and has already missed chunks of this season because of the problem.

Source:thisisgloucestershire

Frampton Cottrell U 14s 0 V Cinderford U 14s 41

Frampton Cottrell U 14s 0 V Cinderford U 14s 41

Cinderford played some great running rugby to emphatically defeat  a spirited Frampton team, early bursts from wingers Mitch Skelton and Guy Pearson put the Foresters on the attack but  first on the score sheet was in form prop Rhys Hopkins who surged over from a ruck  ,  converted by Full back  Charlie Davies,  the Cinderford backs missed two early opportunities by failing to move the ball to the wings quickly  however on the next attempt centre Dan Pearson dived over , Number 8 Jack Shields was proving to be a handful for the Frampton boys making some great runs off the back of the scrum , one rumbling drive saw scrum half Jackson swoop the ball away to the impressive Robson Skipsey to score a fine try . Once again the front five  of Nathan Morgan , Hopkins, Tony Turley, Adam Marsh and Williams Kemp  were dominating the scrum   shoving the home side off every put in  , from the next breakdown lock Adam Marsh surged over to score Davis converted .

In the second half it was just more of the same with one passage of play sparked by Fly half Lee Turley who distributed and kicked the ball prolifically all game setting the impressive open side Matt Allcock away to score , the try was converted by prop Morgan .With the Cinderford replacements taking the field a good tackle from Andrew Johnson turned the ball over , scrum half Hoult moved it swiftly sending Skipsey away on a slashing 70 meter run  with only desperate  tackle hauling him down short of the line , from the scrum a well rehearsed back row move sent flanker Harry Johnson over , from the restart the Foresters came again  a clean catch  and slick pass from lock Zac Miles sent Shields away great passing saw winger Matt Wilce dive over in the corner for the final score

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

Foresters hope to continue away day success

CINDERFORD travel to Redruth tomorrow with renewed confidence after winning three out of their last four away games in National One.

Last season the Cornish outfit boasted a formidable home record but the Foresters are in sparkling form on the road at the moment.

Following wins at Otley and Cambridge in the last two weeks, head coach Phil Greenaway says there is no secret to their improved upturn in fortunes.

“We are getting used to the away trips now,” he said.

“We have done well recently and won three out of four.

“We are going well at the minute and we got a good win at Cambridge and an equally good win at Olney which gives ourselves a bit of breathing space so we want to push on now.

“It is just hard work that we have put in. We have had no real changes in personnel, everyone is just working hard and things are starting to come together.

“We have had a few guys back from injury. George Evans is back in so there is no secret to the success otherwise I would be earning a lot more money.”

Just five points separate Cinderford in 12th and Redruth in ninth and Greenaway says his troops are looking up the table now rather than down it.

Cinderford have the luxury of being able to select their England Under-20s pair for this week, second row Danny Wright and prop Shaun Knight.

And Greenaway says they will try to freshen things up for Redruth after so many long trips recently.

“We are hoping we have dragged ourselves away from the bottom now and we can push on towards the higher end of the table,” added Greenaway.

“We have got a couple of games in hand on the other teams and we will be looking to target those.

“It is always a tough place to go so we know we will get a physical encounter so we have to try and match that and box clever and keep the ball away from their pack.”

? NEV Codlin scored twice against his old club as Cinderford United recorded a comfortable 33-8 Merit Table victory over Coney Hill II.

Alan Bryan, Danny Trigg and Tim Stevenson scored the other tries with Stevenson also landing four conversions.

Another win on the road for Cinderford

OTLEY RFC 21 – 25 CINDERFORD RFC

CINDERFORD number eight Mike Panoho says strong defence was the key to Saturday’s victory in Otley.

“We had to defend for long periods and it drains you, but we did it well,” he said.
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“We probably could have stuck to our structure a bit better and I don’t think we got the ball wide enough, but the side is really coming together.

“Otley were a good team and attacked a lot.”

Cinderford had to survive a late onslaught to record their fourth away win of the season.

Paul Knight scored Cinderford’s only try of the first-half, with Kiwi fly-half Matt James kicking a penalty.

Ben Hough replied with two penalties for the home side to cut Cinderford’s lead at the interval to 8-6.

Otley seized the initiative early in the second period when James White touched down for an unconverted score, but the visitors struck back with tries from Rob Winchle and Paul Boston.

Winger Winchle got on the end of a cross-field kick, while Boston benefited from some weak midfield tackling.

James converted both tries and added a penalty to make it 25-11.

Back came Otley, however, with Hough landing his third penalty and converting his own touchdown to set up a tense finish.

Cinderford’s defence was put under huge pressure, but they were up to the task.

Panoho added: “There’s a lot more competition for places now and there are at least two players fighting for every position.

“People like Stef Hawley, Paul Boston and Kyle Palm have come into the side and done really well, while Matt James and Paul Knight are controlling games for us and giving us more control.”

Cinderford: Stefan Hawley, Rob Winchle, Paul Boston, Dewi Scourfield (rep Tito Elisara 77), Kyle Palm, Matt James, Paul Knight (capt), Joe Smart (rep Jake Meadows 53), Adrian Duncan, Andy Deacon, Dave Bufton (rep Chris Jones 61), Ed King, Will Foden, Chris McNeil, Mike Panoho. Reps not used: Lee Fortey, Danny Pointon. Attendance: 472

CINDERFORD United won 33-8 against Coney Hill II in the Merit Table with tries from Alan Bryan, Tim Stevenson, Danny Trigg and Nevaro Codlin (2). Stevenson kicked four conversions.

Source: thisisgloucestershire

Greenaway: We must start to think like a mid-table side

CINDERFORD coach Phil Greenaway has called for a change in mindset from his side after their best performance of the season against Cambridge.

The Gloucester Academy man wants his players to play like a mid-table team rather than as if they are battling relegation having won four out of the last five games in National One.

Greenaway had the unenviable task of picking a side from a talented group of players which also includes several junior members of Gloucester’s squad.

He said: “We’ve won four out of the last five games and Saturday was as good as we’ve played. Winning in Cambridge certainly takes a bit of pressure off us.

“What’s good is that we brought in people like Stefan Hawley, Paul Boston and George Evans, and they all stepped up to the plate and delivered.

“I thought Phil Kennedy had one of his best games of the season, along with the rest of the front five. A lot of people are banging on the door for selection.

“The second XV went to Loughborough and won this week, which was a phenomenal result.”

Greenaway believes the performances of late have been built on solid defence, and hopes that can continue.

He said: “Cambridge never looked like scoring. There’s no doubt the club is moving in the right direction.”

New signing Matt James has been in fine form for the Foresters and chalked up another 17 points on his second start last week.

Greenaway will be hoping for more of the same as his side travel to Otley this week, a crucial trip given the opponents are one place below the Foresters in the table.

He said: “Matt did great, but I don’t want to single out anyone because it was an excellent team performance.

“Everything is rosy, but we’ve got to go to Otley this week and do it all again.”

We belong in National One

CINDERFORD coach Phil Greenaway hailed last Saturday’s 27-10 away win at Cambridge in National League One as the ‘best of the season’ – and admits picking the team is becoming a major headache.

Greenaway believes Cinderford should stop worrying about relegation, and start focusing on climbing to mid-table safety.

He said: “We’ve won four out of the last five games and Saturday was as good as we’ve played. Winning in Cambridge certainly takes a bit of pressure off us.

“What’s good is that we brought in people like Stefan Hawley, Paul Boston and George Evans, and they all stepped up to the plate and delivered.

“I thought Phil Kennedy had one of his best games of the season, along with the rest of the front five. A lot of people are banging on the door for selection.

“The second XV went to Loughborough and won this week, which was a phenomenal result.”

Greenaway was pleased with the way his side defended in Cambridge when put under pressure. He said: “Cambridge never looked like breaking us down. There’s no doubt the club is moving in the right direction.”

Kiwi fly-half Matt James was exceptional for the Foresters, scoring two tries and 17 points. He has already scored five tries and 32 points for the club in just two starts, but Greenaway played down his influence on the team.

He said: “Matt did great, but I don’t want to single out anyone because it was an excellent team performance.

“Everything is rosy, but we’ve got to go to Otley this week and do it all again.”

CINDERFORD United beat Loughborough’s Development XV 32-14 with tries from Nevaro Codlin (2) and Sam Arnott (2). Tim Stevenson kicked three conversions and two penalties in an outstanding team effort.

Cinderford U16s vs Old Patesians U16s_County Cup_07Feb10

GRFU U16s County Cup – Group 2

 

Cinderford RFC U16                 60

 

Old Patesians RFC U16             5

 

Cinderford U16s put Old Patesians U16s to the sword in the County Cup group stages on Sunday with a ten try, 60-5 demolition of the Cheltenham side.  Cinderford’s tries came from Chance Ridler, Toby Farrier, Tom Ward, Josh Lee(2), Kyle Frowen, Louis Overthrow, Niall Spencer, Liam Littleton, and Jason Walding, with Jack Hopkins adding five conversions from eight attempts.  Overall, the Cinderford pack were simply immense and overpowered Old Pats at the set pieces and in the loose, helping to create the space for their backs to exploit.

 

 

However, initially, Cinderford were desperately sluggish at the start, giving away too many soft penalties and gifting turnover ball through sloppy play and, in the ten minutes that it took Cinderford to wake up, the visitors surprised even themselves in taking the lead; the home side misread the referees signal and relaxed their guard, mistakenly thinking they had been awarded a penalty decision on their own 5-meter line.  However, an alert Old Pats took a quick tap penalty and darted through unopposed to score the opening try whilst Cinderford had their backs turned and their heads in the clouds. 

 

 

This wake up call spurred Cinderford into life and the home side steadily upped their game, particularly through Tom Ward down the left wing who had an outstanding first half and would have scored in the corner to level the scores on the quarter hour mark, had it not been for an excellent covering tackle by Old Pats to nudge Ward’s trailing leg into touch just as he crossed the try line at the corner flag. 

 

Cinderford piled on the pressure and eventually, in the twentieth minute, opened their account when Chance Ridler rounded the defence on the right wing to return under the posts for a converted score to put Cinderford in front at 7-5.  From this point on the flood gates opened, Cinderford racking up a further 24 points in the next fifteen minutes. 

 

Cinderford’s second try came after Tom Ward collected a Jack Hopkins chip ahead on the left touchline and quickly worked it infield to Luke Kell at centre.  Kell cut an angled line for the posts, offloading to blindside flanker Louis Overthrow, who powered for the line only to be brought down just short.  Prop Toby Farrier was backing up well and picked the ball up from the base of the following ruck to crash through the Old Pats defence and score under the posts.  Moments later, Tom Ward chased up a high Garryowen from Jack Hopkins and collected superbly in mid air before using his strength to turn infield and present the ball into the path of second row, Josh Lee who powered through a gap before shrugging off several last ditch tackle attempts as he drove his way to the line for the first of his two tries.

 

 

 

 

 Cinderford’s final score of the first half came from an attacking 5meter scrum from which No.8 Kyle Frowen broke off quickly and crashed through to score under the posts.  Jack Hopkins converted with the last act of the first half to take the scores to 31-5 at the interval. 

 

Shortly after the restart, Cinderford got back into scoring ways in a move that was started and finished by Louis Overthrow and the rest of the Cinderford pack.  Having charged the Old Pats defence on the right Overthrow offloaded to second row team mate Josh Lee, who cut infield on another powerful run before passing to prop Toby Farrier who straightened the line with a direct charge for the posts, drawing in the Pats defence before being brought down 5meters short.  Hooker, Niall Spencer got the ball away quickly from the formed ruck and the move continued quickly out left, where Louis Overthrow was powerfully driven over the line by the supporting Cinderford pack to register and excellent forwards team try.  Matt Masters was unlucky to see his conversion attempt from near the left touchline rebound off the face of the near upright.

 

 

 Cinderford Hooker, Niall Spencer, opened his account in Cinderford colours with a try in the opposite corner just moments later, from a well executed training ground move at an attacking line out on the Old Pats 5-meter line, taking the scores to 41-5.  Cinderford then added two more tries within the space of two minutes; the first from Liam Littleton, racing in from 30-meters out to score in the left corner; the next try coming from Josh Lee, his second of the match as the powerful second row crashed through from close range to score on the right. 

 

 

 

With just short of fifteen minutes left on the clock, Scrum Half Ryan Walding incurred the displeasure of the referee Miles Guilford, and was given ten minutes in the sin bin for kicking the ball out of his opposite number’s hands, having been given a warning earlier in the game for the same offence.  However, minutes later, Cinderford’s final score was a spectacular solo effort from Ryan’s twin brother Jason Walding.  On as a replacement at tight head prop part way through the second half, Walding collected a long pass from Jack Hopkins with one hand, dropped his shoulder and embarked on a scything angled run from just inside the Old Pats half on the wide right, cutting a mazy path through the tired visitors defence, ignoring the pleas of the shadowing backs who were calling for him to pass, but instead accelerating away and cruising through like an outside centre to score on the left side of the posts, to rapturous applause from the watching crowd and putting the icing on a comprehensive 60 points to 5 win for Cinderford.

 

 

 

 

Cinderford’s man of the match was their outside half Jack Hopkins, whose intelligent choice of options kept the game moving at pace for Cinderford and kept Old Pats on the back foot throughout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match Report & Photos: Simon Hawkins

 

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