FORWARDS coach Lee Fortey was a happy man after seeing his Cinderford eight dominate at Stourbridge.
It was a battle of the ex-Gloucester props, with Fortey and Andy Deacon pitting their wits against Tony Windo, now the Stourbridge coach.
Ironically, the game was played on a quagmire of a pitch that all three used to revel on.
Fortey said: "Tony went ballistic when he saw the state of the pitch and he said to me afterwards 'you enjoyed that didn't you'?
"The pitch was a mess, but I told the boys beforehand, that's what rugby's all about.
"I think we've got a team who can adapt to different conditions.
"We can throw the ball around and score tries if the conditions suit."
Cinderford would be near to the top of the league rather than the bottom on 2011 form alone.
"We've definitely turned the corner," said Fortey.
"The reality of this league is that anyone can beat anyone, but the results went for us on Saturday.
"The forwards have set their own benchmark, but there are guys pushing really hard for places in the second XV – they know they can't afford to have a bad game.
"Chris Bundy, for example, is playing out of his skin. He's only 21 or 22, yet he's playing tighthead prop in a very tough league against some difficult opponents.
"It was 3-0 to us at half-time on Saturday but it could have been 20-10. Both sides had chances but we defended very well."
Fortey says Cinderford can go to title favourites London Scottish this week with genuine optimism.
He said: "I'll watch the DVDS on them and try and work out a gameplan. It's important to play the right game against them because they've got a big squad of full-time professionals.
"No one will give us a chance so we've nothing to lose."