Foresters better prepared for second half

CINDERFORD are preparing themselves for a far stronger second half of the campaign in National One after an eventful first part.

The Foresters have had to adjust to injuries and a host of players leaving in the summer resulting in them losing their first five games of the new campaign.

With players coming back to fitness, some new signings on board and the young team all settled in, coach Lee Fortey is predicting a strong showing in 2010.

“It is all coming together now,” he said. “Players are coming back, the numbers at training are good and competition for places is good.

“We spoke about it on Tuesday night at training that we got a bit of form before Christmas and we now need to take that through.”

The Dockham Road outfit travel to fifth place Wharfedale tomorrow with the memory of their last meeting still fresh in their minds.

When the teams met in the Forest of Dean in the fifth game of the season, the Yorkshire side snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a last kick of the game penalty.

Combine that frustrating result with Cinderford not playing since December 12 because of Christmas and the freezing weather and Fortey says the players are desperate to play some rugby.

“The boys are champing at the bit to get out there,” he added.

“I remember that game quite well and I think that is one thing the players remember as well.

“We were in that game and we threw it away so we will not be short of motivation because we can just refer to that game.

“When we gave away those two penalties you can blame the ref but we still gave them away so some of those close games we have learned from.”

Two players who were not involved in that game were fly-half Tim Stevenson and new signing New Zealander utility back Matty James.

Stevenson has been out since the summer after undergoing shoulder surgery but played his first game for the Stags last week.

While James arrives with experience of the Air New Zealand Cup and the Welsh Premiership under this belt.