Dings Crusaders 33–35 Cinderford RFC
Cinderford RFC got their pre-season campaign underway with a hard-fought 35–33 victory away at Dings Crusaders, in an entertaining contest played across three 25-minute periods.
With the emphasis firmly on valuable game time, developing combinations and putting the work of pre-season training into practice, Cinderford fielded a large squad and were given a strong test by a quality Dings side.
Cinderford made the first breakthrough of the afternoon through Sam Smith, with Joe Winfield adding the conversion to give the visitors an early 7–0 advantage.
Dings responded strongly, first levelling the scores at 7–7 before adding two further scores to move into a 19–7 lead.
Cinderford reduced the deficit before the end of the opening period. A great run from Tom Samak helped create the opportunity for Jake Bailey to cross for the try, with Winfield again successful from the tee.
That brought the first 25-minute period to a close with Dings leading 19–14.
Cinderford came out strongly in the second period and regained the lead through a brilliant individual try from Brendan Llewellyn. Winfield converted to make it 21–19.
The visitors then extended their advantage when Grady Alford crossed for Cinderford’s fourth try of the afternoon. Another Winfield conversion took the score to 28–19, which is how the second period ended.
There was still plenty to come.
Dings responded in the final session, scoring 14 unanswered points to turn the contest around once more and move into a 33–28 lead.
But Cinderford weren’t finished.
Showing composure late in the game, Jack Hall crossed for Cinderford’s fifth try to bring the scores level at 33–33.
This time Grady Alford stepped up for the conversion — and successfully added the two points that edged Cinderford back in front.
With no further scoring, the final whistle brought an entertaining first pre-season outing to an end:
Dings Crusaders 33–35 Cinderford RFC
Five tries, valuable minutes throughout the squad and a competitive test provided plenty for Cinderford to take from their opening fixture as preparations for the new season continue.
𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙧𝙩-𝙎𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙝:
“𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙪𝙨. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝘿𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙨𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙙. 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙗𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙣𝙟𝙤𝙮 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙥 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙬 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚. 𝙒𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠.”
Cinderford scorers:
Tries: Sam Smith, Jake Bailey, Brendan Llewellyn, Grady Alford, Jack Hall
Conversions: Joe Winfield (4), Grady Alford (1)
Photo Credit: Kairos Sports Photography