Cinderford 29 – Hornets 7
A much-changed Cinderford side produced an impressive all-round performance to claim a deserved victory over Hornets at Bell Sports & Rugby Park.
The home side started brightly and were rewarded early on when winger Sam Smith showed great determination to force his way over in the corner for the opening try, although the conversion drifted wide.
Hornets responded well and levelled the contest with a superbly taken score, running the ball back from deep inside their own half for Josh Sheppard to finish, with Jack Gapper adding the extras to give the visitors a 7–5 lead.
Cinderford finished the first half strongly, applying sustained pressure as the interval approached. After a couple of close attempts, the pressure told when hooker Nathan Taylor was driven over from a 5-metre lineout, nudging the hosts back in front at 10–7 going into the break.
The opening quarter of the second half was a tense, scoreless affair, with both sides battling for control. Cinderford eventually extended their lead in unusual fashion when Hornets failed to contest a lineout, allowing second-row Callum Thompson to stroll over for a straightforward try.
As the match entered the final ten minutes, Cinderford’s dominance at the set piece began to tell. A series of powerful 5-metre scrums saw No.8 Jake Polledri force his way over, with Jack Condliffe converting to stretch the lead further.
There was still time for one final flourish. Smith capitalised on a loose pass late on, gathering cleanly before showing his pace to outstrip the cover and claim his second try of the afternoon, again converted by Condliffe, to seal a convincing 29–7 win.
It was a strong performance across the park from a reshaped Cinderford side, combining physicality up front with clinical finishing out wide.
Scoring summary
Cinderford:
Tries – Smith (3, 77), Taylor (39), Thompson (60), Polledri (73)
Conversions – Condliffe (74, 78)
Hornets:
Try – Sheppard (23)
Conversion – Gapper (24)