National League One

Cambridge 23

CAMBRIDGE had incisive runners all over the pitch, their forwards bossed the set pieces and they kept the ball alive at will.

But for some impressive defending, Cinderford could easily have lost by a heavy margin.

For most of the first half Cinderford were hanging on.

They struggled to get inside the Cambridge half and their line-out was all over the place after find of the season Ben West limped off in the ninth minute with a leg injury.

Cambridge opened their account on six minutes with a try from winger Anders Mogensen, who hit the line at pace and went under the posts. Tom Wheatcroft converted.

Cinderford spent the next 20 minutes defending wave after wave of Cambridge attacks. Cambridge were twice held up over the line by some dogged defence, but from their second 5m scrum Cinderford turned the ball over and broke into the Cambridge 22.

Cambridge showed their attacking prowess by carving Cinderford open from deep, with Mogensen sprinting clear and exchanging short passes with team-mates before touching down for a brilliant counter-attacking score. Wheatcroft again converted.

Rory Teague kicked a 35th minute penalty to cut the half-time deficit to 14-3.

Cinderford produced some much better rugby in the second half but wasted a gilt-edged scoring opportunity by dropping the ball with the line beckoning. Two minutes later, Teague slotted a penalty from left of the posts.

Mogensen kicked a penalty for the visitors but Cinderford, with sub scrum-half Danny Pointon looking lively, turned the ball over and went through the phases.

Teague broke through a tackle and handed a scoring pass to Pointon. Incredibly, Teague's conversion made it 17-13, leaving Cambridge with scant reward for their dominance.

Thoughts of a famous comeback ended with two more penalties from Mogensen and more pressure from the Cambridge forwards.

At least an injury-time penalty from Rory Teague gave Cinderford the consolation of a losing bonus point.

Cinderford: Mike Wilcox, Lloyd Stapleton, Simeon James, Dewi Scourfield (Kai Done 72), Rob Winchle, Rory Teague, Ben Draper (Danny Pointon 59), Joe Smart, Tom Bozzard, Tom Heard, Ben West (George Evans 9), Ed King, Chris McNeil, Will Foden, Adam Nicholls (capt). Reps not used: Matt Jones, Lee Fortey.