Photos courtesy of Mike Inkley
It was terrific defence from Blackheath prior to halftime to keep the visitors in the contest, and equally terrific defence from Rotherham at the death which ultimately saw the hosts to a win that takes them to the top of National League One.
Twice, as time ticked away in the Yorkshire gloom, the Club set an attacking platform to press the very same corner of the field they had resolutely defended 40 match-minutes earlier, but twice the assault was repelled, the second time seeing ball held up and signalling the end of the game.
‘We executed really well to get into those positions, but against top sides like Rotherham your opportunities are limited and you’ve got to be clinical and finish them off,’ said backs coach Vinnie Berrington.
‘Credit to our defence though,’ he continued. ‘Our record is one of the best in the league, of which we are very proud. Our resilience, and how we rowed the waves in momentum, shows how we can compete with anyone.’
It was a match that only the conditions (dank, mizzle, grass left very long) can produce, but no less enthralling for all that.
An opening that saw both sides struggling with the greasy ball culminated in Blackheath striking first, as the Club pack drove off lineout ball, Billy Harding peeled off, and Jordan Burns squirmed over, electric eel-like, in the left corner.
Opposite scrum-half JB Bruzulier responded quickly for the hosts, as the Rotherham pack drove forward, Lloyd Hayes adding the conversion and a penalty in a faultless first half goal-kicking display from the fly-half.
However, as Rotherham went off their feet, Jake Hennessey found a good kick to touch, followed by the conversion, as Harding was driven across for Blackheath to lead 12-10 on the half-hour mark.
Not for long though, and for the last time.
Wing Sinjin Broad went over out wide after a kick landed in touch on the full, and as Rotherham continued to put phases together, a deliberate knock-on handed the hosts a penalty try for a 24-12 lead at the break.
The damage would have greater had it not been for the robustness of the 14-man Blackheath defence prior to the interval, which included repelling two five-metre scrums, and from the re-start the visitors looked to take the initiative.
The Club lineout was exemplary throughout (while the hosts’ began to deteriorate) and as Ed Scragg took Harding’s throw on 52 minutes the maul, with almost the entire back division flying in to assist, drove the hooker across for his second try of the match, and 19th of the season.
Matt Dalrymple added the conversion, and added some intelligent positional kicking when necessary to ease pressure, while the Club pack also began to negate Rotherham’s earlier scrum dominance.
But to their obvious relief, the Yorkshiremen stood firm, Blackheath’s consolation a solitary losing bonus point.
Next Saturday Blackheath return to the Utilita Well Hall for the visit of Sedgley Park. Kick off is at 3.00 pm
Rotherham
Tries: Bruzulier 18, Broad 31, Penalty 36
Conv: Hayes 18, 31
Pens: Hayes 26
Blackheath
Tries: Burns 13, Harding 28, 52,
Conv: Hennessey 28, Dalrymple 52
Attendance: 250
| 15 | . | Jake Hennessey |
| 14 | . | Jake Lloyd |
| 13 | . | Luke Pollock |
| 12 | . | Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas |
| 11 | . | Alex Earnshaw |
| 10 | . | Ed Dunford |
| 9 | . | Jordan Burns |
| 1 | . | Archie Holland |
| 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 | . | James Cornish |
| 18 | . | Will Jameson |
| 19 | . | Kyle McGhie |
| 20 | . | Matt Dalrymple |
Graham Cox
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