To say that Cinderford were lucky to win a game in which they enjoyed only about thirty percent of the possession is to underestimate the tremendous defensive display that the Foresters showed under relentless second half pressure.
Albanians dominated possession from the outset but it was the Foresters who were first on the scoreboard when centre Jack Adams intercepted Stephane Leibenberg’s loose pass and raced in under the posts from the Cinderford 10 m line for Mike Wilcox to convert.
Full-back Richard Greig replied with a penalty for OAs as they continued to dominate possession but the feisty foresters went further ahead after they won a penalty for a dangerous tackle. Wilcox pumped the ball into the corner and number- eight Adam Balding was driven over from the ensuing line out for Wilcox to add the extras from wide out.
Half-time Old Albanians 3 Cinderford 14
Cinderford enjoyed more possession in the early stages of the second period but OAs always looked dangerous on the breakout and when prop Tom Heard was yellow carded for offside in the Foresters 22 Greig made no mistake with his second penalty. The hosts kept up the pace but the Foresters defended stoutly but seemed to have to conceded a try when the hosts crossed from a scrum only to be denied when the ref decided that they had lost the ball before grounding it. Cinderford won the scrum and cleared but were finding it very difficult to win the ball and were often on the wrong end of the young refs decisions. The scrum was an especially difficult area for both teams but Cinderford prop Elliot Booley’s yellow card was also for offside. Another Greig penalty brought the score to 9 pts -14 and set up a grandstand finish.
A fortunate refereeing decision then allowed Wilcox the chance to put Cinderford 2 scores ahead but the fly-half pushed a simple kick wide of the posts. However the number ten made no mistake just two minutes later. Greig then missed two penalty chances in short order as the hosts struggled to turn possession into points. A resurgent Cinderford drove back into OAS territory and their unlikely victory was greeted with a huge cheer from their travelling fans as Wilcox kicked the ball into the grandstand.
Cinderford
15. Stefan Hawley
14. Andrew Bulumakau
13. Jack Adams
12. Rob Winchle
11. Sam Baker
10. Mike Wilcox
9. Danny Pointon
1. Will Davis
2. Tom Bozzard
3. Elliot Booley
4. Milo Reynolds
5. Ed King
6. Roger Birkin
7. Will Keenan
8. Adam Balding
Replacements
16. Tom Heard
17. Joe Smart
20. George Mills
19. Clive Stuart-Smith
18. Alex Frame
Old Albanians
15. Richard Greig
14. Nathan Earl
13. Dominic Regan
12. Daniel Holmes
11. Michael Allen
10. Ian Vass
9. Liebenberg Stephane
1. Andrew Berry
2. Brett Mc Namee
3. Parilli Camilo Ocampo
4. Ross Hamilton
5. Billy Johnston
6. Andrew Daish
7. Oliver Cooper-Millard
8. Hayden Stringer
16. Jenz Robinson
17. Robert Scillagh
18. Nicholas Stevens
19. James Spiers
20. Oliver Marchon