Williams hails as superb run Huge win goes on
IN-FORM Cambridge extended their superb run to only one loss in 13 games as Cinderford fell to a third successive defeat in a pulsating encounter at Grantchester Road.
Blood and Sand director of rugby Richie Williams declared the game was as close as he had anticipated.
“We knew all week it was likely to be a onescore game,” he said.
“You’ve got two well coached teams going at each other. But huge credit to Cinderford for scoring those two wellworked first-half tries.”
With the hosts in fifth place before kick off and the visitors in fourth, it was billed as pretty much irresistible force against immovable object, with two prodigious packs fighting for supremacy and two decent sets of backs determined to defend and attack in equal reputation-enhancing manner.
Cambridge struck first with a perfunctory penalty on debut from fly-half Harry Johnston, 15 metres out in front of the posts.
Cinderford’s riposte, with their second driving maul of the afternoon rebuffed, was well executed as James Forrester crossed for the first try of the game. Reece Boughton converted and, in short order, added a penalty for 10-3.
Half an hour in, though, Cambridge’s driving maul paid off at the first attempt as Ben Brownlie dived over for his 18th touchdown of term. Johnston missed off the tee.
Boughton’s cross-kick to the corner was gathered and finished by William Baldwin to extend the visitors’ lead and they went in 15-8 ahead at the interval.
On resumption, Boughton missed an early penalty and, six minutes into the second period, Brownlie drove over again, taking his season’s tally to 19 and allowing
Johnston to add two more points.
Boughton kept it nip and tuck with another tee shot for the visitors as he edged them ahead.
The tide, though, gradually turned and Jake McCloud spun off another driving maul, landed over the line on his back and brought the
ball over back-handed for a fine finish.
Ahead for the first time in the match – shades of Sale two weeks previously – Cambridge contrived to make the faithful wait for victory. Cinderford were back in front six minutes later via the boot of Boughton from 40-odd metres.
But a margin of a point was never going to be enough and Cambridge’s never-say-die attitude paid off in spades as Joe Tarrant broke down the right and finished strongly in the corner at the second attempt.
Johnston’s conversion from out wide drew the second-biggest cheer of the afternoon, putting his side six points clear.
And, with the visitors throwing the kitchen sink at the game to the end, the Blood and Sand held firm for a much-deserved and hard-fought win. The Foresters stay a point clear of the hosts with their losing bonus point.