A fine match on a fine autumnal afternoon, and for which credit should go to Plymouth Albion who never let up, despite falling 19-points adrift on two occasions during the second period.
Ultimately, however, it was another superb performance from Blackheath to claim a seventh bonus point win of the campaign, and in so doing leapfrogging their opponents to move up to third place in the National League One table.
In particular, it was the lineout, with Fin O’Sullivan, Ed Scragg and Archie Smeaton (who seems happy to slot into any position from lock to number-eight) all outstanding, which proved the key, providing the platform for four of the six Blackheath tries, as well as disrupting opposition ball.
There was also the explosive power of the incumbent number-eight Finn Osborne who, having already blasted a 25-metre hole in the Albion ramparts off the base of a scrum, fired off lineout ball in the 19th minute to set the ruck from which Billy Harding spied a gap for the opening try.
Albion, however, would have their moments, and one such came midway through the first period when, for the only time in the contest, the visitors took the lead.
From a lineout on the twenty-two, the big Devonian pack went through numerous phases before loose-head Jenson Boughton touched-down, and as the re-start was returned with interest from scrum-half Jack Oulton, and a rare lineout blemish saw Albion lock Joel Broadhurst get fingertips to the throw, good handling sending wing Bobby Wigginton across for a 14-7 advantage.
Not for very long. As Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas sent Osborne cannoning off a defender to rumble over next to the uprights, and Albion’s desperate defence saw them lose a man for a high tackle, a mighty shove from the Club pack enabled Harding to claim his second try, and with Kyle McGhie adding a third conversion, Blackheath led 21-14 at the break.
Two further yellow cards for Albion followed after the re-start and Blackheath made their numerical superiority count.
As Oulton was dispatched for retaliation, Osborne scored as he went from a tap-and-go, five metres out.
Then, with Albion temporarily down to thirteen, Harding broke from a maul and, selling a wonderful dummy, stormed across to claim his 17th try, and the hooker’s second hat-trick of the campaign, Jake Hennessy’s conversion moving the Club 33-14 ahead.
Back to full strength, Albion responded again by driving opposite number Harry Wilkinson over, but as the visitors failed to find touch, Jordan Burns found Scragg out wide with a long pass, before the scrum-half popped up again to carve a dent and send Ben Charnock over for the fifth try.
Albion were not done, and great handling from the visitors saw wing Shea Cornish slide over in the corner, full-back Frankie Dart on target once again for a fourth conversion, but Blackheath’s spirit, epitomised by the glorious sight of Will Davis thundering up field after loose ball like a runaway freight train, ensured that victory was theirs.
Blackheath travel to second place Rotherham next Saturday with an earlier kick off time of 2.00 pm at Clifton Lane. The Club return to the Utilita Well Hall for the visit of Sedgley Park on 22nd November.
Blackheath
Tries: Harding 19, 37, 57, Osborne 34, 48, Charnock 67
Conv: McGhie 19, 34, 37, Hennessey 57, 67
Plymouth Albion
Tries: Broughton 25, Wigginton 28, Wilkinson 59, Cornish 70
Conv: Dart 25, 28, 59, 70
Attendance: 620
| 15 | . | Jake Hennessey |
| 14 | . | Jake Lloyd |
| 13 | . | Luke Pollock |
| 12 | . | Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas |
| 11 | . | Alex Earnshaw |
| 10 | . | Ed Dunford |
| 9 | . | Kyle McGhie |
| 1 | . | Will Davis |
| 2 | . | Billy Harding (Capt) |
| 3 | . | Andrew Boye |
| 4 | . | Fin O’Sullivan |
| 5 | Ed Scragg | |
| 6 | . | Archie Smeaton |
| 7 | . | Noah Sloot |
| 8 | . | Finn Osborne |
| 16 | . | Archie Bourne |
| 17 | . | Archie Holland |
| 18 | . | Ben Charnock |
| 19 | . | Jordan Burns |
| 20 | . | Darragh Walsh |
Photos: Nick King
Graham Cox
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