Cinderford Match Report

Cirencester 12 Cinderford 27

On Sunday Cinderford U14s travelled to Cirencester for their last game of the season and the Forest of Dean side came away with a 27-12 away win.  Both sides had players missing through holidays and also used this match to give a starting run out to those who did not make it onto the pitch during the recent extremely tight County Cup Quarter Final between these two sides.

Cinderford applied solid pressure from the start and after 5 minutes had an attacking scrum 15 meters from the Cirencester line in the left corner.  When the ball came out it was worked quickly across the back line where Tom Ward on the opposite wing outpaced the drift defence to go around the outside and score in the corner and give Cinderford a 5-0 lead.  Cinderford stretched their lead when a kick for territory was quickly followed up to put the Cirencester back line under pressure.  Cinderford turned the ball over cleanly on the floor and Chance Ridler was on hand to make the initial break before being tackled and popping the ball into the arms of Jason Walding, who powered to the corner from 20 meters out for a try that took the score to 10-0 with five minutes to go before half time.


(Cinderford used the driving maul to good effect throughout against Cirencester)

Half Time: Cirencester 0 Cinderford 10

Shortly after the second half restart, a moment of indiscipline by Cinderford deep inside their own half gifted Cirencester possession and the opportunity to take a quick tap penalty from which their powerhouse No. 8 rode some indifferent tackling before being hauled down just short of the try line, but the ball was worked out to the right flank for an unconverted try in the corner to pull the scores back to 10-5.


(Cinderford’s Jake Bonser jumps to steal Cirencester’s lineout ball)

When Cinderford were penalised when going forward just a few minutes later, this time 10meters inside the opposition half, Cirencester kicked high and long for the corner.  However, the ball dropped just short and was well collected near the touchline by fullback Ryan Walding, who then took the risky option by firing a pass infield to his lone support on the inside, Tom Ward, as Cirencester closed in at pace and in numbers.  Ward just managed to evade the initial tackle attempts before side-stepping his way superbly out of his own 22 and embarking on a fine run up the left wing, where he linked up with centre Luke Kell who was in quick support on the inside.  Ward then cut back inside to take a perfectly timed return pass from Kell and race through a gap and clean away to finish off an outstanding try under the posts.  The conversion kick by Ryan Walding, who had started the move at the other end just moments earlier, gave the visitors a 17-5 lead.

Cirencester hit back almost immediately, again through their No. 8 who was having an outstanding game, and who again took full advantage of some generous tackling by the visitors to break through the middle of the park and score a converted try under the posts to take the score to 17-12.


(Cinderford’s Jason Walding evades the last tackle attempt to run in Cinderford’s second try against Cirencester)

As the game progressed Cinderford steadily took increasing control of the game.  When Cirencester were penalised for not rolling away at the tackle inside their own half, a quick tap penalty saw Adam Wilce, having just come on at fullback, cut through the crowded midfield for a 30meter break that took him to within 10 meters of the Cirencester try line before being hauled down.  The Cirencester defence showed tremendous commitment in the defence of their try line but, in doing so, conceded a penalty and from the quick tap penalty by Jack Hopkins the ball was fired back across field, via Chance Ridler and Sam Morse, to Liam Littleton who ran in an unconverted try in the opposite corner.

Cirencester pressed to get back into contention and got to within 7-meters of the Cinderford try line but a clean catch by Jake Bonser at the subsequent lineout from a Sam Baker throw-in saw the Foresters gain 30meters with a powerful rolling maul to relieve the pressure.  Moments later, Toby Farrier went on a charge at the home defence and, having made good ground, offloaded to fellow prop and team mate Jason Walding, who went on crunching run up the right before being tackled.  Cinderford scrum half, Rhys Gardner recycled the ball quickly infield from the base of the following ruck and Chance Ridler finished the move by cruising around the outside of the Cirencester defence to score in the left corner with the last move of the match, taking the final score line to 27-12 to Cinderford and ending another fine season for this Cinderford side on a high note.