Cinderford coach suffers punctured lung
CINDERFORD player/coach Phil Greenaway was detained in hospital after his side’s 3-0 defeat away at Newbury Blues.
Greenaway was diagnosed with two broken ribs and a punctured lung. Incredibly, he played through the pain for the entire match after suffering the injury towards the end of the first-half.
Pointon excited about facing former team
CINDERFORD halfback Danny Pointon is looking forward to getting one over his former club Stourbridge in National One at Dockham Road tomorrow (kick-off 2.30pm).
Pointon, who can operate at either scrum-half or fly-half, joined the Foresters over the summer from the Stourton Park side and faces them for the first time since leaving.
And after Cinderford frustratingly lost 26-18 at high-flyers London Scottish last Saturday, Pointon is hoping the team can get back to winning ways at home.
“I’m excited about it,” said the former St Peter’s High School captain.
“I think Cinderford are playing well at the moment and I am looking forward to it.
“I am not worried about facing my old team, I am looking forward to doing it against them.
“I am more motivated to get one over them.
“It was frustrating to come away from London Scottish with nothing because we deserved to get something and deserved to win the game because we played well and played all the rugby.”
Prior to last weekend’s defeat at second placed Scottish, Cinderford had won three games in a row.
Only a late try from former Gloucester player Simon Amor ruined the Foresters’ chances of a fourth consecutive victory and Pointon says that has happened a few times so far.
“We slipped up in the last five minutes and we have done that a few times this season in the last five or 10 minutes,” added Pointon, who is the son of former Gloucester 10 Dave.
“We can not put our finger on it and if you start doing that then you could go through the entire game looking at absolutely everything but we should not be putting ourselves in the position where they can do that to us.”
Cinderford’s usual halfback pairing of head coach Phil Greenaway and skipper Paul Knight both have knee injuries and are doubts for the game.
It has taken time to click – Greenaway
CINDERFORD head coach Phil Greenaway says his much-changed team are finally starting to come together after two consecutive wins in National One.
The Foresters lost a number of players in the summer and the period of transition was no more evident then in their four straight losses to start the season with.
But following wins over Manchester and their first victory at Dockham Road this season over Otley on Saturday, Greenaway is confident of adding to that run when they welcome Redruth tomorrow.
“There were so many changes over the summer, we’ve virtually got a new team,” he said.
“We haven’t conceded a try in the last two games and we defended well against Otley.
“We’ve got a lot of young players and it has taken time for everyone to get to know each other.”
Greenaway’s view has been echoed by forwards coach Lee Fortey, (pictued right) who joined the club in the summer following two successful years at Old Patesians in the old South West One.
As a former Gloucester and Worcester front row, Fortey says there is always going to be a bedding in process when there are so many changes.
And with both the forwards and the backs now finally starting to click together, Fortey says it is important they win their home games.
“The players have fronted up and played very well in the last three games and won at home and that is something we have said, we have to win our home games whether it is 5-0 or 3-0 it doesn’t matter,” Fortey said.
“We are playing well and there is some good rugby being played and the confidence is getting there and we are keeping our discipline.
“I think it is getting the players to know each other, you can see that in the back-line, people have the confidence and are trusting the calls.”
Source: thisisgloucestershire
Greenaway: I’m loving every minute
HEAD coach Phil Greenaway says he’s loving every minute of being in charge at Cinderford.
After a poor start to the season, Cinderford clinched their second win in a row at home to Otley by 26-3.
Redruth come to Dockham Road this week and Greenaway sees no reason why his side can’t cause a shock.
He said: “There were so many changes over the summer, we’ve virtually got a new team.
“Playing and coaching isn’t easy, but I’m really enjoying things.
“We haven’t conceded a try in the last two games and we defended well against Otley.
“We’ve got a lot of young players and it’s taken time for every one to get to know each other.
“Saturday’s performance was good and people like Will Foden have come in and taken their chances.”
Bonus points aren’t enough – Greenaway
CINDERFORD head coach Phil Greenaway said his side’s two bonus points from their nail-biting 28-26 defeat to unbeaten Wharfedale were scant consolation.
After crossing the whitewash four times and missing out on victory by two points, Greenaway insisted there were plenty of positives to take out of the titanic Dockham Road clash.
Greenaway said: “I am really proud of the guys. In weeks gone by we have been disappointed for the wrong reasons but today we were disappointed for the right reasons because we put a huge amount into the game but unfortunately just fell short at the end of the day.
“We fought hard, we scored four tries and showed we can play some rugby and it was a good performance.
“We are obviously very disappointed but we can have no complaints because we worked our backsides off but were just a little bit short at the end there.
“We scored four tries, we got two bonus points out of it but that is scant consolation because it should have been five but that is sport and that is rugby and that is what we are in at the minute.
“There are loads of positives. The shape we had in the game, the way we played the game, the enthusiasm we showed was outstanding and the effort out there was outstanding.
The two bonus points gained moves the Foresters onto just three points for the season, after their five consecutive defeats.
But Greenaway is confident if his team continue putting in the outstanding effort and desire they showed against a side that has won all their games then their season will turnaround.
“If we had played like that in our previous four games we might have got a bit more out of it,” Greenaway added.
“It is disappointing but that is sport and that is rugby and that is the game we are in and we have just got to pick ourselves up.
“That is the way it goes when things are not quite going our way. We have just got to keep working hard until they turn for us and we will get a win.”
Greenaway to start against Wharfedale
HEAD coach Phil Greenaway will make his first start of the season tomorrow at home to Wharfedale (3pm).
Greenaway came on as second-half replacement away at Blaydon last week.
Greenaway will play at fly-half instead of Danny Pointon.
Cinderford v Wharfedale: S Hawley, A Bressington, L Plummer, D Scourfield, R Haile, P Greenaway, P Knight (capt), P Kennedy, C Hall, A Deacon, C Jones, D Bufton, Adam Nicholls, C McNeil, M Panoho. Reps: J Smart, N Matthews, E King, S Arnott, Andy Nicholls.
More misery for Foresters
CINDERFORD have been hit by a backs crisis ahead of their tough trip to Blaydon in National One tomorrow.
With kickers Danny Trigg and Tim Stevenson already ruled out until January following shoulder surgery and centre Dave Knight still not available, yet more misery has been piled on coach Phil Greenaway.
Centre Ryan Cumbers has had his suspected broken ankle confirmed and Ollie Winterbottom will not travel to the North East following his concussion last week.
To make things worse, back row Dan Hall has a broken thumb, forcing the coach to dig out his old boots for a possible appearance.
Greenaway said: “We have got George Evans that can come back in and some of the second-team players have been playing quite well so they may get a look in, people like Will Foden and Steph Hawley.
“I might have to get my boots out and sit on the bench which I am quite excited about.
“Dan Hall is waiting to hear if he needs surgery, Ryan is looking like he will be out for eight weeks and Ollie will not travel after his bang on the head.”
The Foresters have started the season in disappointing fashion, losing all of their first three matches without picking up any bonus points.
Only whipping boys Manchester, who have so far conceded a total of 388 points in their three fixtures, are below Cinderford in the table.
But despite those damning statistics, Greenaway is clinging on to the memory of last season’s trip to fourth placed Blaydon when they were one of the few teams to return home victorious.
“It is a good challenge for us and one we are looking forward to,” he said.
“Not many teams go up to Blaydon and come home with a win.
“We did win there last season and I still do not know how we did because we played terribly.
“But I would take anything this weekend. It is a tough trip but we went there last year and won, so we will hang on to that.”
source: thisisgloucestershire
We threw game away: Greenaway
CINDERFORD head coach Phil Greenaway says his side were the architects of their own downfall after losing 34-26 to Nuneaton.
The Foresters have now lost all three of their opening games in the new National One.
The Nuns also rubbed salt into the wounds by sealing a bonus point after running in four tries at Dockham Road.
Greenaway’s men raced into a 17-0 lead after 20 minutes but Nuneaton struck back in a seven-minute period with three converted tries, to the disappointment of Cinderford’s head coach.
“There is no way we should have lost the game today after being in that position after 20 minutes,” Greenaway said.
“We just gave them territory, gave away penalties and our own mistakes of not catching simple high balls when we were not under any pressure.
“Then a little bit of panic crept in and the boys started questioning themselves a little bit.
“Fair play to Nuneaton they kept coming at us and they were dogged. But that game is one we should have won and if we want to compete in this league then we have to win those games.”
Nuneaton pulled away in the dying moments and Greenaway said his players have a lot of work to do before their trip to Blaydon next Saturday.
“We should have won the game, there is no two ways about it, it was there for the taking and we have certainly let ourselves down,” he added.
“We just made far too many errors and gave far too many penalties away and it feels to me like we absolutely handed the game to them on a plate rather than them coming out and winning it.
“We have to be better than that, we can not accept people coming here and taking five points off us this year.
“It is not something that I want to put my name to as a coach, it is not something the club will appreciate or be proud of.
“We want performances out there that a club can be proud of and the players individually can be proud of and that has to come through us working hard again this week.”
source: thisisgloucestershire
Greenaway: Launceston will be tough
CINDERFORD kick-off their National League One campaign at home to Launceston this Saturday and coach Phil Greenaway believes it could be one of the toughest games of the season.
“There’s no doubt this league is stronger than it was last season with four clubs coming down,” said Greenaway.
“We did superbly to finish fifth last season, but this year I’d be delighted with ninth.
“I expect Launceston to be right up there, along with London Scottish, Cambridge and Esher. For me, starting the season is exciting but nerve-racking.”
Greenaway faces some tough selection choices over the coming days ahead of Saturday’s opener against the team known as the Cornish All Blacks.
Australian centre Ryan Cumbers – who played in the 20-19 trial win over Birmingham & Solihull – could be available if he can get international clearance before Saturday.
“Ryan was recommended to us by James Forrester (former Gloucester player) and did very well against Birmingham,” said Greenaway.
“The back line almost picks itself at the moment because Danny Trigg and Tim Stevenson are injured. Danny Pointon and Reuben Haile also missed last Saturday’s game.
“There’s a lot of competition among the forwards.
“We’ve had some tough trial games – Pontypridd are virtually a full-time side now.
“We’ve got a lot of youngsters in the squad but they’re going to have to learn pretty quickly.”
CINDERFORD pair Shaun Knight and Danny Wright have been named in a 32-man England under-20s elite squad for this season’s Six Nations.
The duo will be hoping to cement places for the Junior World Championships in Argentina next June.
Source: thisisgloucestershire
