Cinderford Match Report

Cheltenham North II 8 Cinderford Stags 27

Playing away, Cinderford Stags won by 27 points to eight against Cheltenham North II in a Gloucester Merit Table Division 1 match. Cinderford Stags remain in top place.

As per the home fixture played early in November, Cheltenham North were big and well-drilled, however, it was the Stags who were first on the scoreboard. After five minutes, playing up the slope the Stags forwards were driving well. It was hooker Ian Taylor who broke from a maul five metres out to crash over with three defenders on his back. Ten minutes later fly half Luke Beard converted a penalty.

Cheltenham North then came back at the Stags securing good lineout ball and kicking for field position. Chasing up, the North backs forced errors out of the Stags and secured a five-metre scrum. Winning their own ball, the North forwards elected to drive through the back row. After several phases of driving play, the North scored their try.

The game was being keenly contested and towards the end of the first half, Cheltenham North converted a penalty to make it eight points each at half time.

Half Time: Cheltenham North II 8 Cinderford Stags 8

After regrouping at half time, the Stags clearly wanted to keep their unbeaten record and within five minutes prop Mark Bluett broke from a maul to score a try near the posts. Luke Beard kicked the conversion.

The Cheltenham North defences were solid for a good twenty-minute period before buckling under Stags pressure. After the North back row had got sucked in, Jason Rowles found himself in a lot of space and score a fine try wide left. Late on Jake Hinds picked up and drove over to score the last try of the game, Luke Beard converted.

Team: P. Worgan, R. Davis, M. Jelf, J. Rowles, L. Clark, L. Beard, D. Parry, M. Bluett, I. Taylor, D. Peters, A. Boxall, D. Whatmore, D. Clark, J. Jelf, J. Hinds. Replacements: J. Taylor, S. Ranford, S. Davis and M. Wallis.