TOM Samak's late try secured a dramatic 22-16 victory for Cinderford RFC as they stunned league leaders Redruth at Bell Sports and Rugby Park on Saturday.

The hosts produced an outstanding defensive performance to overcome their high-flying opponents, with Samak crossing beneath the posts in the closing stages to complete a memorable afternoon for the Forest side.

Cinderford had trailed 16-15 heading into the final minutes, but their determination was rewarded when Brendan Llewelyn released Samak to score the decisive try, which Joe Winfield converted.

It was a fitting conclusion to a fiercely contested encounter in which Cinderford overcame mounting injury problems and sustained pressure from the visitors.

The home side had started brightly, twice being held up over the try line as they looked to establish an early advantage against the league leaders.

Their persistence eventually paid off when Callum McCabe delivered an accurate cross-field kick for Llewelyn, who gathered possession and touched down on the right wing.

Redruth responded through a Joseph Cummings penalty, but Cinderford extended their advantage when flanker Andrew Smyth broke clear down the blindside of a ruck to score.

Winfield added the conversion to establish a 12-3 lead, although the visitors soon began to demonstrate why they had arrived at the top of the table.

A physical spell of pressure eventually produced a try for prop Rohan Ewels, converted by Cummings, reducing the deficit to just two points.

Winfield restored some breathing space with a penalty, but Redruth continued to threaten and came close to scoring from a scrum near the Cinderford line before half-time.

The hosts stood firm, taking a 15-10 advantage into the interval despite having been forced into a demanding defensive effort.

Redruth resumed their pursuit after the restart, with Cummings landing another penalty to bring the visitors within two points.

Cinderford's task became more difficult when Jake Bailey received a yellow card following a no-arms tackle, allowing Cummings to kick Redruth into a 16-15 lead.

With five minutes remaining, Winfield missed a long-range penalty opportunity and the visitors appeared increasingly well placed to claim victory.

However, Cinderford refused to surrender and produced their finest attacking moment when the ball was moved wide for Llewelyn to send Samak racing beneath the posts.

Winfield's conversion established a six-point advantage, leaving the home side needing one final defensive stand.

Redruth pressed desperately for a response, but Cinderford's defence held firm to secure a remarkable result.

Head of Rugby Clive praised the resilience of his players following the victory.

He said: "An incredible day that will go down as one of the most committed, resilient squad performances we have seen.

"We were certainly thrown a few curveballs regarding injuries before and during the game, but it shows where we are as a squad and our desire to work so hard for each other.

"Our defence was outstanding against a very confrontational Redruth team, and we consistently stopped them getting any momentum."

The victory was part of a successful weekend for the club, with both Cinderford United and the Stags also recording wins.