Club hang on despite leaky defence in thriller
FIVE tries to two would suggest a more one-sided game, but the final scoreline indicates differently, and even that doesn’t tell the story of a terrific climax with Moseley pressing within the Blackheath five-metre line until ball was eventually turned over.
Blackheath, however, shouldn’t have let it get to that.
“I thought we played some outstanding rugby in the first half, but we just weren’t as clinical as last week,” said Blackheath director of rugby James Shanahan.
“A couple of chances went astray though, and if we’d showed a little more composure with an opportunity late on, we would have been clear.’
“However, I’m pleased with the character we showed at the end, particularly having lost both second-rows at half-time,’ continued the Club head coach, “and happy and relieved with the win.”
Indeed, three of Blackheath tries came within the first quarter.
Mark Cooke and Markus Burcham sent Henry Staff racing in from 45-metres after just two minutes, and swift line-out ball moved across field produced an overlap for Jake Lloyd to score.
A poorly controlled lineout saw Harry Bate pick up and dive over for try number three.
But each score was answered by a James Williams penalty.
And although Nick Foster added one conversion and goal for the hosts, a fourth strike from Moseley’s faultless inside-centre kept the visitors’ deficit to 20-12 at the break.
That was cut to a single point on 51 minutes as the centre converted after Chris Brightwell had gathered and scored from a neat chip over the Club’s defence.
But the sin-binning of Mike Perks for an allegedly dangerous tackle had a galvanising effect on the hosts and they surged back into the contest.
Harry Bate broke from defence, and galloped a full 80 metres, before ball was moved across field, and Alex Pickersgill cut inside for Foster to score.
Then, moments later, Ciaran Moore darted out of a ruck, and Burcham made
the break with Tom Stradwick and Bate in support, and as Moseley conceded the penalty close to their own goal-line, Craig Dowsett crashed over from a quickly taken tap for a 3019 advantage.
However, Blackheath’s penalty count had been poor all game, and as Mosescrum-half ley gained two successive line-outs close to the Club’s goal-line, Joe Wrafter was driven over to set up a tight finish.
“I don’t think we lost the game in the final minutes, we lost it in the first 20, and then again in the middle of the second half,” said Moseley captain and Sam Brown.
“But, we are improving and we were much better in the opposition 22.
“If we’d played like that against a team lower in the league, we’d have come away with all five points and I’m 100 per cent certain we will move away from the bottom of the table.”