Coach Fortey happy with Cinderford’s progression

AFTER failing to hit the lofty heights of last season so far, Cinderford coach Lee Fortey admits he is happy with their progress.

In their first campaign in the old National Two, now renamed National One, they pulled off some big scalps to finish in fifth place in their debut year.

However, a number of agonising narrow defeats have restricted them from repeating their previous feats and they currently sit 12th out of 16 teams.

A total of five teams were relegated from the division above as part of the RFU’s restructuring of the divisions and former Gloucester prop Fortey says it could be worse.

“We are not doing too bad if you look at it on the whole,” Fortey said.

“We have competed quite well overall but we have let ourselves down in certain games.

“If you look at our points total so far we definitely should have a few more.

“But we are happy with where we are because we could be a lot worse off.”

The Foresters’ second campaign at level three was always going to be made tough with so many good sides coming down from the division above.

It was not helped by the big spending London Scottish coming up from Lydney’s division either and being thrust right into the title race almost immediately.

Last summer a number of key individuals also left Dockham Road such as their experienced second row duo, former Cherry and Whites Rob Fidler and head coach Mark Cornwell.

That has left a void of experience in the side with the youngsters sometimes struggling to cope with the departures.

However, a recent change in coaching where new head coach Phil Greenaway has encouraged his team to play more open running rugby seems to be paying off.

Fortey added: “We have changed a few things around recently with our game plan in training and the boys are playing a bit more rugby.

“We are reaping the rewards a bit and we have a bit more confidence.”

Bayliss picked for Australia

FORWARDS coach Lee Fortey says Cinderford have nothing to fear when they go to London Scottish this week.

The Foresters have won three games in a row and Fortey believes that defensive improvements have been the major reason for the turnaround.

He said: “I know a few London Scottish players and I’ve watched some of their matches on DVD. They are beatable.

“We’ve just got to carry on playing the way we are. Things are starting to click and the defence has been excellent these past few weeks.

“People don’t realise how young some of our players are. Take Luke Plummer, he’s a big lad but he’s only 19. He’s starting to show people what he can do.”

* CINDERFORD’S commercial manager Matt Bayliss will be the citing officer for Gloucester’s clash with Australia at Kingsholm on Tuesday November 3.

Bayliss, chairman of the Gloucestershire RFU disciplinary committee, has handled many Premiership clashes and Six Nations matches.

It will be his job to spot illegal play missed by the on-field officials.

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

We must build on wins – Fortey

CINDERFORD Town forwards coach Lee Fortey says his side must build on their two consecutive wins and move further up the National One table.

Following victories over Manchester last week (98-3) and their first home win of the season over Otley (26-3) on Saturday, Fortey says they should not get carried away.

The wins moved the Foresters up to 12th and Fortey said it was good to be looking up the table rather than down it.

“We have had two wins and we cannot get carried away because there is another 22 games to go, but we will move up another spot and be challenging teams now,” he said.

“It is good at the moment and there is a bit of buzz in the changing rooms which is what we want – a happy environment.

“We have just got to cement our place in the league. The hard work is still to be done.

“We have just got to keep on going and keep building.”

Cinderford have been unfortunate this season after finishing fifth in their debut year at level three.

They lost a number of key players over the summer and had to bring in youngsters.

The fixtures then seemed to be against them as every team they have played so far will have faced whipping boys Manchester the week before, giving their opponents confidence.

But against Otley, Fortey was happy to finally play a team that was not coming off the back a 100-point victory over Manchester the week before.

“It must have an effect actually because everyone else we have played has had that,” he said.

“But it is hard because we played Manchester last week and you could see in that first half-hour against Otley we were trying to offload and trying to open the rugby up and sometimes it works.

“But lets do A before B first and get the scrum, line-out and set piece going and win the breakdown work, but it is starting to come together.”

Fortey: We conceded soft tries

CINDERFORD coach Lee Fortey says the players now appreciate how hard life in National League One is going to be.

Cinderford lost 32-19 at home to Launceston on day one of the new season.

Fortey said: “We started well but gave away some soft tries. I thought the forwards did OK, but at this level you’ve got to take your chances when they come.

“Launceston looked a decent side and I thought they managed the ref quite well, slowing our ball up and not allowing us to play to patterns.

“We deserved a bonus point but we need to iron out the mistakes. We defended quite well as a team but there’s nothing you can do when individuals make mistakes.”

Cinderford go to Surrey this week to play promotion-chasing Esher, who hammered Manchester 148-0 last Saturday.

Fortey said: “I know Esher have recruited in order to go straight back up, but that’s an incredible score.

“We’ve got a very young side and they’ve got to mature quickly. There won’t be any easy games in this league and I think the players now appreciate that.”

Source: thisisgloucestershire

Fortey backs young star to shine

CINDERFORD coach Lee Fortey has backed young fly-half Mike Wilcox to shine on the National One stage this season.

Wilcox starred for St Peter’s School in their run to the Daily Mail Cup final at Twickenham in April and got a handful of games at the tail end of last season for the Foresters.

With Tim Stevenson and Danny Trigg both sidelined until the New Year with injuries, Wilcox will be thrown into the spotlight against Launceston tomorrow but Fortey says he can handle it.

Fortey said: “I think it is quite good for Mike. With Paul Knight at nine he is going to help run the game and the players around him will help out as well.

“I think it is a good learning curve for him. He has got a good opportunity to show everybody what he can do and what he has got in his locker.”

Despite being just 18, Wilcox has been impressive in the three pre-season trial games against Pontypool, Pontypridd and Birmingham and Solihull.

In particular, he held his nerve last weekend in the final run out before the campaign starts against last year’s National Two champions Birmingham and Solihull to kick a winning penalty in the dying minutes.

But with pre-season over, the serious stuff begins at Dockham Road and Cinderford will aim to repeat their feat from last season when they won their first match at this level, beating Wharfedale 26-19.

Fortey says their home form will be crucial to another successful campaign after they ended their debut year in fifth place, especially with seven new teams in the division.

“I think we have got to have a good start in the first month of the season,” he said.

“The first six weeks put us in good shape for the rest of the season and it is going to be a hard season.

“I think Launceston have a couple of key players like their 10 who are good experienced players for that division.”