Blaydon 32 – Cinderford 34

A spirited Cinderford side never lost heart despite trailing 25-13 in the 48th minute and were rewarded with 2 tries in two minutes and then another near the end to clinch an unexpected victory.

They scored first through winger Nevaro Codlin in the 3rd minute but then had only a couple of Mark Davies penalties in response to a first half Blaydon blitz. Robert Bell crossed for his first from a driving maul and then centre Tommy Banks went in from a neat inside pass from Jonathan Burn who had broken brilliantly from his own 22.

No8 Jason Smithson was driven over on the stroke of half-time to make it 22-13, and then a second Andrew Baggett penalty put Blaydon firmly in the driving seat – or so it seemed.

Inexplicably they went off the boil, Cinderford flanker Robert Langley crashed over in the corner and within seconds Codlin had shaken off tackle after tackle to score down the other wing.

The visitors suddenly had reversed their fortunes and when full-back Michael Wilcox touched down a 4th try when Blaydon lost their own line-out ball in the 79th minute their day was complete.

Blaydon responded when it was all too late but at least had the consolation of earning 2 bonus points when Bell grabbed his second in the 4th minute of time added on.

Star man: Mark Davies (Cinderford)

Referee: Shane Lewis
Attendance: 205
HT: 22-13 FT: 32-34

Blaydon
Tries: Bell 29,80+4, Banks 33, Smithson 40
Conversions: Baggett 29,33,80+4
Penalties: Baggett 6,48

Cinderford
Tries: Codlin 3,63, Langley 61, Wilcox 79
Conversions: Davies 3,61,63,79
Penalties: Davies 11,35

Reporter: John Brennan