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Park had Cinderford on the back foot from the start with a combination of pick-and-drives and quick passing that created space for winger Benji Marfo to power over in the right corner in the third minute for 5-0.

Hooker Karl Gibson had to leave the field injured early on. When fly half Greg Lound followed him with a broken nose – and later scrum half Ben Williams also had to retire from the fray – things began to look a bit dicey for the visitors.


Park’s Nev Edwards on the attack

Park always looked dangerous going forward and rarely allowed the home side to settle on the ball. The back row of the Ellis brothers and Mike Macfarlane were magnificent. But Cinderford put the match back in the balance on 17 minutes when winger Terence Babarinsa forced his way over for 5-5.

Park soon replied when flanker Arthur Ellis finished off a good move, replacement fly half Ollie Grove converting for 12-5 on 21 minutes.

Barely ten minutes later it was replacement hooker Owen Hughes who was on the spot to dot down for Park, Grove again converting for 19-5.

On the stroke of half time Park set up a series of drives at the home line and it was prop Nick Lovell who grabbed the bonus point try, converted by Grove for 26-5 at the interval.

Cinderford came out for the second half determined to redress the balance. It took only two minutes for centre George Boulton to reduce the deficit, aided by a conversion from fly half Liam Hemming, to reduce the deficit to 26-12.

Park, however, still looked the more dangerous and a bit of loose play by Cinderford six minutes later allowed Park to pounce on the ball and full-back Henry Robinson darted in behind the posts, converted by Grove for 33-12.

Cinderford were not done yet and, following a line-out, flanker Aaron Ryan crashed over converted by Hemming on 56 minutes for 33-19.

Park looked to be safe, but with 15 minutes remaining a handling error was adjudged to be a deliberate knock-on and the referee did not hesitate to award a penalty try for 33-26 and awarded a yellow card into the bargain. It also gave Cinderford the 4-try bonus.

What could have been a hairy few minutes was calmed when Grove struck over a penalty on 71 minutes to extend the lead to ten points at 36-26.

Cinderford fought to the end and were awarded a penalty on 80 minutes that allowed Hemming to bring up the losing bonus point at 36-29.

Cinderford were a good side, but Park were a bit better than the margin of victory suggests.

Park Head Coach, Kieran Power, said “It’s a great start to the season to get 5 points away from home but also a game where we can take lot from to work on especially from the second half”.

Park: Robinson; Edwards, Turner-Hall, Morgan, Marfo; Lound; Williams; Nwakor, Gibson, Lovell; Mills, Gillanders; Macfarlane, A Ellis, H Ellis.
Bench: Gibson, Smith, Spencer Grove, Barnes
Park scorers: Marfo (T) A Ellis (T) Hughes (T) Lovell (T) Robinson (T) Grove (P, 4C).

Rosslyn Park’s League home season kicks off on Saturday with a tricky match against Bishops Stortford. On the opening day of the season Stortford lost narrowly (16-21) to hot title favourites Darlington Mowden Park and so will be seeking their first victory. The Hertfordshire side won at the Rock last season, though Park avenged that defeat by winning the return match later in the season.

Stortford finished in the top half of the table last season and have strengthened their squad for this season. Nevertheless it is the sort of match Park must win if they are to have an impact in the upper reaches of National 1 this season.


Charlie Addiman

Images: David Whittam

September 3, 2018