CINDERFORD 10 BLAYDON 24
CINDERFORD'S unbeaten home record was finally ended by third placed Blaydon in a flat affair at Dockham Road.
The North East outfit were well organised by former Newcastle Falcons prop Mickey Ward and played the Foresters at their own game by making sure they did the simple tasks well.
As a result the top four of the division have opened up a large gap over Cinderford with a trip to Sedgeley Park on Saturday.
Cinderford had the first chance to trouble the scorers on 14 minutes following a tight opening but Mark Davies' 40-metre penalty drifted wide.
Full-back Mike Wilcox's piercing run two minutes later set up good field position before prop Tom Heard tried his luck with play coming back for a penalty which Davies dispatched.
Straight from the restart Cinderford infringed which was kicked to touch and a couple of phases later Blaydon prop Robert Kalbraier stepped inside to score and stand-off Andrew Baggett converted.
Blaydon then put some phases together in Cinderford's 22 on half hour and won a penalty which Baggett booted to lead 10-3.
Davies then dragged another long-range effort wide on 34 minutes before finding touch ten metres from Blaydon's line with a penalty on 38 minutes.
The Foresters forwards pounded the whitewash and lock Dave McKee thought he had scored when he was driven over and grazed the post padding but the referee disagreed on half-time.
The North East outfit began the second period strongest and Baggett's penalty took them to within five metres of CInderford's line before the forwards drove over openside Robert Bell and Baggett converted.
The home side responded well with their own catch and drive lineout nearly taking them over the line before Davies' chip over the defence was easily dotted down by wing Nev Codlin.
Davies' simple conversion pulled his side to within seven points but the visitors stretched their advantage to two converted scores with their third try on 56 minutes.
Baggett turned down three easy points to go for the corner and in almost copybook fashion the pack drove over for Bell's second from the lineout with his fly-half improving further.
The away side, who have the second best road record in the division, then held on for the win and closed out the game well.
CINDERFORD: M Wilcox; N Codlin, J Adams, R Winchle, L Stapleton (Done, 62); M Davies, S Arnott; J Brooks, T Bozzard (Woodward, 56), T Heard (Selway, 16); D McKee (King, 56), D Crithcley; L Allen, W Foden, G Evans (Evans, 56). Replacements: N Selway, N Woodward, E King, J Garner, K Done.
BLAYDON: N Bailey; T Jeffrey, C Incledon, S Hanks, S Barber; A Baggett (Guy, 62), J Burn (Hall, 50); R Kalbraier (Nyemba, half-time), M Hall (Hallam, half-time), R Morris (Kalbraier, 52); C Wearmouth, S English; N Hamilton, R Bell, B Morris (Nutley, 67). Replacements: J Hallam, N Nyemba, T Nutley, H Charlton, J Guy.
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