Burned by Cinders (12.03.05)

MAIDS were rocked by an awesome display of multi-phase, rucking rugby at Braywick on Saturday, as champions-elect Cinderford demonstrated genuine national league potential.
The visitors had been struggling of late, in both league and cup, meaning they had to win on Saturday to stave off a late challenge for the automatic promotion spot in South West 1.
So understandably there were signs of early nerves, especially when Maids drove into the Cinderford 22 and forced them to concede a penalty, which fullback Rob Hawkins swept between the uprights for a three-point lead.
However, within four minutes Cinderford were ahead, when the undisputed star of their pack, Samoan flanker Ronnie Patea, charged down Mark Ruddick’s attempted clearance kick and dotted down in the corner.
Danny Trigg was off target with the conversion, allowing Hawkins to kick Maids back into the lead on seven minutes, with a wind-assisted penalty kick from just inside the Cinderford half.
But the visitors replied with an intense period of pressure on the Maidenhead line, culminating in a second score for Patea, this time from a close-range tap-and-go.
Trigg was spot on with the conversion to stretch out a six-point lead.
By now it was clear the Maidenhead pack had a real battle on their hands.
However, when they did win clean possession, their backs looked more than a match for their West Country counterparts.
This was demonstrated perfectly on 16 minutes, when the home pack got the shove on at a scrum, and quick ball resulted in a fine try for Jonny Hammond, who crashed through two tackles to score close to the posts. Hawkins bisected the posts with the conversion and Maids were back in the lead.
Unfortunately this just seemed to rile Cinderford and the game quickly gained an unwanted edge, with off-the-ball incidents causing several pauses in play.
The disruption seemed to suit the visitors, who emerged from the chaos to dominate the rest of the half.
On 22 minutes Patea crossed the whitewash for a third time, following an incredible passage of play, which had Maidenhead scrabbling to get even a brief glimpse of the ball.
Trigg missed the simple conversion but made amends shortly before half-time, slotting a penalty from right in front of the posts, after Maids lock De Wet Booysen was yellow carded for deliberately getting on the wrong side of a ruck.
Trailing 22-13, Maids needed to get out of their blocks quickly after the break, as they turned around to play into the wind.
Unfortunately this proved to be a vain hope, as the visitors piled on 26 points without reply to end the game as a contest.
The onslaught began within five minutes of the restart, when Cinderford secured turn-over ball just outside the Maidenhead 22, and Trigg burst into the line to score just to the right of the posts, before converting his own score.
Centre Martin Roberts got in on the act a few minutes later, cashing in on a missed tackle to touch down another converted try.
Two minutes later winger Richard Bazeley benefited from Hawkins being caught in possession and dashed in to score in the corner, despite a brave challenge from Simon Cripps.
Keen to avoid a thrashing, Maidenhead coach Simon Edwards rang the changes, with Danny Martin coming in off the wing to replace Ruddick at fly-half, while Alex Greer came on out wide.
Luke Bullock came on for Will Lowden on the flank, while Allan Greene made his 600th appearance in a Maidenhead shirt, coming on for the injured Dave Johnston.
The reinforcements went straight to work, winning a penalty close to the Cinderford line.
Maids went for maximum points with a kick for touch, followed by a catch and drive, but were held up just short of the line. To their great frustration they then had to watch in despair as Cinderford broke off the back of their own scrum and ran the whole length of the pitch to put Bazeley in under the posts.
Most teams would have curled up and died, but Maidenhead showed real character and gave their visitors a bit of a scare.
Ben Ayres led the fightback, releasing Stuart MacKay to charge in under the posts.
Hawkins made the difficult conversion, and Maids’ tails were back in the air.
No.8 Piers Morgan went close with a pick-up and drive off the back of a scrum, but when he was dispossessed just short of the line Bullock pounced to touch down the loose ball.
Hawkins again hit the target and, despite a seemingly comfortable lead, Cinderford began to sweat.
Maids continued to provide a lot of entertainment, particularly out wide, but the visitors eventually killed the game off eight minutes from time when substitute Dave Virgin scored a converted try.
Scrum half Liam Smye was then gifted a simple score just before the death, putting the final seal on a convincing 62-25 win.

AIR RAID: Maidenhead’s Paul Jones is well beaten in the lineout. Ref:88219/7