Last updated at 09:41, Tuesday, 03 March 2009

FOR a little while on Saturday, it looked as though Cinders just might go the ball.

Tynedale 31, Cinderford 10.

The men from the Forest of Dean had played well into the teeth of a typical Corbridge chinook, and were widely expected to do better in the second period.

However, Tynedale are not lying third in National League Division Two for nothing, and romped away to claim maximum points in the second period.

The man who turned the Cinderford coach into a pumpkin was fly half Rob Miller, who came on at half time to score a try, a conversion and penalty to send the visitors home empty handed.

The stiff breeze and the fussy officiating of Salvation Army semaphore king Andrew Vertigan meant the game was never much of a spectacle, but Tynedale finished up cantering to their 36th straight home league win.

Cinderford sit one place above the relegation zone, albeit with four games in hand on their nearest rivals, but they belied that lowly status with a gutsy performance. especially in the first half.

For their part, Tynedale rested top try scorer Jack Harrison, with half an eye on his selection for the English Counties trip to Ireland this weekend.

He only came on for the last few minutes, while another England Counties choice, fly half Gavin Beasley, also only played half a game, going off at half time.

The third Tynedale player involved, prop Rupert Harden, played his heart out for the entire game.

Any plans to replace him were thwarted when fellow prop Jonny Williams had to go off at half time with a nasty neck injury.

Exciting Dutchman Tim Visser also returned to the side, and while not been given too many opportunities to show his class, still managed to score his customary try.

On the negative side, Tynedale picked up their 23rd yellow card of the season, when bemused flanker Graeme McGilchrist was sin-binned for reasons the normally graphic Mr Vertigan failed to make clear.

The saintly official evened things up in the second half when he binned Cinderford lock Danny Wright, and a mini Michael Flatley demonstration made it clear it was for stamping.

The penalty count against Tynedale in the first half was 8-1, much to the frustration of the home fans.

Tynedale had first use of the shrieking gale, and thought they had scored early on.

A bustling run by centre Ben Duncan opened up a gap, and the ball went along the line for winger Charlie Ingall to cut in and touch down.

Unfortunately, there was divine intervention in the shape of Mr Vertigan, who ruled there had been a forward pass in the build up.

The resulting scrum came to nothing, and another two minutes later was equally inconclusive.

After eight minutes though, Tynedale did win a scrum, the ball was played, and this time, Ingall’s angled run in from the wing met with Mr Vertigan’s approval for the opening try.

Andrew Murray thumped over the conversion.

Anyone expecting a procession of Tynedale tries was to be disappointed, as Cinderford hit back with some solid picking and driving.

From one such move, tricky winger Jake Carter jinked and twisted his way through some pretty poor Tynedale tackling to get within five metres of the line.

Tynedale should have extended their lead on 20 minutes, when a knifing break by full back Jack Smales took Tynedale into the Cinderford 22.

They failed to get over on the right, but fly half Beasley had spotted two blue and white shirts on the far left, and hurled out a monster pass.

It was seized upon by Jonny Williams, who had Eni Gesinde loping along beside him.

The sound of the lone defender’s knees knocking could be heard at the back on the stand, but with the line at his mercy, Williams inexplicably bulleted a pass to the startled Gesinde, who was unable to hold onto it.

Inspired by the let-off, Cinderford attacked with renewed vigour, and for five minutes, laid siege to the Tynedale line.

It seemed they had to score but that renowned Tynedale defence closed the door time and time again.

With the forwards wilting, the visitors eventually opted for the penalty, which was safely slotted by Tim Stevenson to make it 7-3 with half an hour gone.

Beasley’s kick off was missed by everyone, leading to a line-out five metres from the Cinderford line.

Cinderford defended that successfully, but Tynedale were soon back in the same corner, and from a five metre scrum, number eight Greg Irvin battered his way over.

It was a long way out, but Murray’s meaty boot put over the conversion to make it 14-3.

An 11-point lead hardly seemed sufficient as half-time approached, and Tynedale’s star waned further when Graeme McGilchrist saw yellow for an unspecified infringement at the ruck.

Cinderford began the second half well, pumping the ball into the corners with wind assisted kicks.

Then came the yellow card for the towering Wright, and the visitors lost their momentum, although winger Carter enjoyed another mesmeric run.

Gradually, Tynedale came back into it though, and winger Peter Cole had a clear run in, only to be called back for a forward pass.

Hooker Joe Graham was then driven over the line, but was unable to ground the ball.

Finally, Tynedale were awarded a penalty on 20 minutes, just to the left of the posts, about 15 metres out.

Leading points scorer Miller fell over as he launched his kick into the wind, but somehow it slithered over, like a schoolboy escaping from a scrumping expedition in an orchard.

Two minutes later, a thumping drive from the excellent Harden came close, and the ball came out to Miller, who sold the most extravagant of dummies before stepping over the line from five metres.

He converted his own try, and Tynedale seemed secure at 24-3. From the restart though, the ball was turned over, and suddenly replacement fly half Freddie Burns was alone and unmolested into the Tynedale 22 for a try he also converted himself.

There was still work to for Tynedale, so up strode Andrew Murray, pounding his way up the park as only he can. As the despairing defence closed in, he slipped the ball to Visser, who raced in to touch down with the best swallow dive seen since last August in Beijing.

Miller converted to all but wrap things up.

There was still time though for skipper Jamie Murray to demonstrate the extraordinary stamina and fitness which has taken Tynedale to the top.

Deep into injury time, having battled into the wind for three quarters of an hour, he still found the energy to carry the ball from his own try line to the Cinderford 22 in a lung-bursting run which should have been rewarded with a try.

Try scorer Greg Irvin took the Waitrose-John Lewis man of the match award.

First published at 12:13, Friday, 27 February 2009
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk