Cinderford played some of their best rugby of the season to overcome the challenge of Rams RFC and leapfrog them back into 5th place in National League One.
(Match highlights courtesy of Rams Rugby & Track 7 Productions) https://www.ramsrugby.com/videos/match-highlights-cinderford-3817-rams-260322-177824.html
A terrific opening quarter performance from the home team, four tries from hooker Nathan Taylor and an immaculate kicking display from outside-half Reece Boughton proved to be the difference between the sides.
It was Cinderford who started the match the brightest with their pack giving them plenty of momentum in the scrum which resulted in an early penalty which Reece Boughton kicked into the corner. Cinderford then scored the first try of the match from the driving maul where Taylor was on hand to touch down for his first of the afternoon, with Boughton converting. The home team were in a clinical mood, and they scored their second try of the match after further penalties against Rams allowed them to set up another driving maul and a second try for Taylor with Broughton converting for 14-0.
A third try followed soon afterwards as Tim Brockett smashed his way over from close range after further Rams penalties allowed the host to reach their try line with Boughton again adding the extras. Rams finally managed to grab a foothold in the match with their first score after several opportunities went begging, a lovely snipe from close range by scrum half Ollie Cole giving them their first try, which Drew Humberstone converted. Home hooker Taylor couldn’t be kept quiet for long as he wrapped up his ‘hat-trick’ on the stroke of half-time as he once again crashed over from the back of the line-out, again bettered by Boughton.
Half-time 28-7.
Rams leapt into action early in the second half finding the try line early on as second-row Ollie Taylor crashed over from close range, but Humberstone missed the conversion. Cinderford however responded straight away after several penalties against Rams helped the hosts move down field and it was once again Taylor who grabbed his fourth try to make it 35-12 with 30 minutes remaining.
The Foresters started to concede penalties as Rams worked their way into further try scoring opportunities which they converted through hooker Ben Henderson. After missing several opportunities Cinderford then decided to kick a penalty to the posts, which Boughton slotted to remain 100% from the tee. This was to be the last of the home side’s points as Rams started to edge the forward battle after being dominated for much of the match. But they were unable to convert their improvement into any points and the home team’s defence held firm to deny them any chance of a try-scoring bonus point.
Cinderford; Mike Wilcox, Will Baldwin, Jamie Forrester, George Boulton, Will Hendy, Reece Boughton, Mike Austin, George Porter, Nathan Taylor, Tim Brockett, Tyler Jerrum, Joe Dancer, Matt Lane, Jack Shields, Harry Hone.
Repls; Joe Smart, Sam Baker, George Evans, Aaron Ryan, Clive Stuart-Smith.