Ed Dunford won’t mark this down as one of his better goal-kicking days, having seen four of his five conversion attempts sail wide of the mark.
Nevertheless, when it came the crunch, the full-back, one of nine players making their Club home debuts, kept his composure in the tricky, gusty, conditions to emerge the hero, as he nailed a last-ditch penalty, giving Blackheath victory and making it two from two at the start of their 2025/26 National League One campaign.
A deserved victory too. Blackheath had most of the pressure, numerous opportunities, and three of Stortford’s four tries came directly from Blackheath errors.
The first of those came within two minutes, as the kick-off was mishandled, giving away the field position to the visitors for Stort loose-head Tristan Smith to drive over.
Blackheath quickly responded, as Jordan Burns scampered forward from a quick tap-and-go, Jake Lloyd, called up as a late replacement for Tom Emery, made further ground, before play spread to the other wing where Oscar Daniel scooped the ball back for Jake Hennessey to pick up and score.
Billy Harding rampaged through a gap in defence to give the hosts the lead, and as Ed Scragg tapped down lineout ball, Sam Morley’s long pass out wide found Daniel who showed a neat step infield to extend the advantage further.
However, a dangerous tackle temporarily reduced Blackheath in number, and despite a wild pass, Stortford used the extra space to send fly-half Finn Keylock searing down the right flank to score.
Burns lost ball forward as the scrum-half stretched out for the goal-line after Harding again broke away, and the Club pack were adjudged just short as they drove off lineout, and Blackheath’s lead remained 17-14 at the interval.
Harding drove across for the Club hooker and skipper’s second try after the break, and with Blackheath’s lineout functioning smoothly, and dominance up front, the hosts kept up the pressure, but an interception try from Stort wing Tom Mills on 57 minutes changed the pattern of the contest.
Scrum-half Chris Bolton’s goal-kicking was immaculate throughout, despite the difficult conditions (including three strikes from out wide), keeping Stortford in the game, and a 63rd minute penalty nudged the visitors ahead.
To a backdrop of lightning strikes in the distance, more pressure from the Club pack saw Harding drive across for his hat-trick, and turnover ball followed by hard yards made by the two Archies, Holland and Smeaton, forced a penalty for Dunford to convert.
Almost exactly two years ago, on the same ground, Stortford had overturned a ten-point deficit with as many minutes remaining to steal victory, and now they sought to do similar as they worked blind-side Harrison Langworthy under the uprights for a try and one-point advantage with only two minutes to play.
However, the conditions had one further part to play as a Stortford clearance landed in touch on the full, and as Club pack drove forward from the more favourable lineout position, the Stort defence could do nothing but concede the penalty for collapsing, and Dunford duly obliged.
Blackheath travel to Westleigh Park next Saturday to take on Leicester Lions. Kick off is at the earlier time of 2.00 pm.
The following week, the Club return to the Utilita Well Hall for the visit of near-rivals Rosslyn Park. Kick off on 27th September is at 3.00 pm.
Blackheath
Tries: Hennessey 6, Harding 10, 42, 68, Daniel 19
Conv: Dunford 10
Pens: Dunford 73, 80
Bishop’s Stortford
Tries: Smith 2, Keylock 28, Mills 57, Langworthy 77
Conv: Bolton 2, 28, 57, 77
Pens: Bolton 63
Attendance: 580
| 15 | . | Ed Dunford |
| 14 | . | Oscar Daniel |
| 13 | . | Jake Hennessey |
| 12 | . | Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas |
| 11 | . | Jake Lloyd |
| 10 | . | Sam Morley |
| 9 | . | Jordan Burns |
| 1 | . | Archie Holland |
| 2 | . | Billy Harding (Capt) |
| 3 | . | Rory Marsh |
| 4 | . | Archie Smeaton |
| 5 | Ed Scragg | |
| 6 | . | Josh Smart |
| 7 | . | Noah Sloot |
| 8 | . | Finn Osborne |
| 16 | . | Archie Bourne |
| 17 | . | James Cornish |
| 18 | . | Fin O’Sullivan |
| 19 | . | Raff Hollister |
| 20 | . | Kyle McGhie |
Photos: Nick King
Graham Cox
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