Cinderford given stern test in real points fest
CINDERFORD overcame a spirited challenge from Bury in a highly entertaining encounter that featured 12 tries.
They made the early running and opened the scoring after seven minutes when winger Alex Frame gathered up a kick ahead to claim a try, which Liam Hemming successfully converted.
Then, a superb break from Hemming put centre Ed Bogue away to score Cinderford’s next try, with Hemming adding the conversion. Bury put together some good phases of play, but could not breach the home defence.
Cinderford moved back upfield to score again. Following a series of pick-and-goes near the try line, prop Joe Smart forced his way over, with Hemming’s conversion making it 21-0 after 28 minutes of play.
Bury responded with their opening try, a welltaken effort from scrumhalf Matt Harrison.
Back came Cinderford, though, when they shoved their opponents back off their own ball at a fivemetre scrummage and No.8 George Evans claimed a pushover try, again converted by Hemming to make the half-time score 28-5.
Bury opened the scoring in the second half when the ball was moved out wide for winger Dwayne Corcoran to cross for an unconverted try.
The Forest of Dean side responded well, with Frame and then Evans both crossing for their second tries.
Once again, however, Bury showed plenty of spirit to also score twice in a four-minute spell through
prop Luke Beales and a second from Corcoran, both of which were converted by Liam McBride.
There was still time for a couple more tries, with Bogue showing good skills to recover a loose pass and beat several defenders on his way to scoring his second.
But it was Bury who had the last say when flanker Matt Edison went over for his team’s fifth try.
Cinderford Director of Rugby Paul Morris was a happy man.
He felt his team had played some excellent rugby for 60 minutes, but he was disappointed to have conceded three tries in the last 20.
He added, however, that there are no given results in the division and the standard of opposition was always high.
“To have reached the halfway stage with just one defeat is a great achievement and I’m proud of my players’ efforts,” he said.
“But Chinnor deserve to be top as they beat us at home.
“We’re looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead and, hopefully, we can maintain our momentum.”