Sneddon gets wish as Park fell Club with blinding starts
AN ELECTRIC start to each half saw Rosslyn Park cruise to a victory almost as convincing as the one they claimed in the reverse fixture at The Rock in October to achieve a league double over their South London rivals.
Two tries in the opening 13 minutes set the visitors on the road, and although Blackheath worked their way back to within two points at the interval, a second brace in an even shorter space of time left the hosts floundering.
“We’d talked about starting well,” said Park coach Scott Sneddon.
“Our shape and discipline went astray a bit later in the first period, but we came back again and, overall, our handling and defence were outstanding.
“We know how good Blackheath can be if they get decent possession, and it’s always tough to come to their patch, but Sam Aspland-Robinson made an early break to ensure we came out of the blocks firing and that was the difference.”
Indeed, it was the wing’s early run that took play deep into Club territory, and as a scrum penalty was conceded and Park drove from the lineout, Russell Weir found space on the blind-side for the first score.
Harry Leonard added the conversion, before missing from a penalty, but from the drop-out Andrew Henderson breezed through the defence and Park were 12-0 ahead.
However, Leo Fielding’s interception try disrupted the flow, and with the Club inside centre adding the conversion and penalty as the hosts worked off an improved set-piece, along with better discipline, the gap narrowed to 12-10 at the break, to leave them fully in contention.
Nevertheless, all optimism would be dashed within seven minutes of the restart. Almost straight from the kick-off Adam Frampton rampaged across the goalline, and as Blackheath looked for field position with a penalty to touch, Hugo Ellis intercepted a pass from the lineout, the No.8 storming away to score from 60 metres and moving his side 16 points clear.
As Park stepped up the pressure up front to win two scrum penalties, Harry Hudson was driven across from close range, and although Blackheath somehow conjured up a try for Tom Baldwin after a rare lineout steal, the visitors claimed the final word as Leonard added a late penalty.
“A few poor results of late have affected us mentally and we’re finding it difficult to claw our way back in games,” said Blackheath skipper Markus Burcham. “We’re panicking, trying to score off first-phase possession all the time, which is leading to errors, and when you do that against a side like Rosslyn Park you’re going to be punished.
“Credit to Park who took their chances well, but we gave them too many easy points.”
Rosslyn Park moved within four points of fifthplaced Birmingham Moseley as their resurgence continued with a third consecutive win, while Blackheath slipped behind Coventry into seventh place, on points difference.