Seven tries from Blackheath in a performance not without its blemishes, with both sides guilty of numerous handling errors.
However, the hosts’ almost faultless lineout, early dominance at the scrum, allied to some fine carries from Finn Osborne and Archie Smeaton, set the platform for a big win to keep the Club in third spot in National League One.
Two tries in the opening 20 minutes from Jake Hennesssey got them under way. The first saw Noah Sloot sending Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas weaving through the Dings Crusaders defence, before Billy Harding offloaded for Hennessey to cross.
Then, a scrum penalty and drive infield created space for Jordan Burns to send his wing over in the left corner.
Hennessey came within inches of a hat-trick inside the first quarter, his dribbling skills just failing him at the last, after Sam Morley had snapped up loose ball and hoofed forward, but Ed Scragg drove over as the Club pack crabbed towards the uprights off another well-drilled lineout, and Blackheath were 17-0 ahead.
Dings arrived at The Utilita on this bright but cold and windy afternoon having won three of their last four matches to lift them away from the relegation zone.
Keen to play fast and flowing rugby, they exemplified their ability to strike from anywhere on 27 minutes, as left-wing Omar Ly escaped the defensive clutches, and showed exceptional pace with a diagonal run to the corner, fly-half Raff Weston landing a fine conversion given the stiff breeze.
However, as half-time approached, Scragg again rose to take clean lineout ball, and Burns’ inside pass sent Harding barging across for a beautifully executed set-piece move, and Blackheath led 22-7 at the break.
Osborne drove across after the restart, and Harding plundered his second (and 33rd of the campaign) after Blackheath went through multiple phases, with Guy Rogers on debut on the wing making ground.
With 30 minutes still to go, a deluge threatened, but the game became scrappy and messy with handling errors continuing, both sides offering each other easy exits out of defence, and Dings kicking too much possession away.
The visitors managed to get more of a foothold, and some scrum dominance, but it was Blackheath who had the final say, as a lovely offload from Harding sent Kyle McGhie across, Morley adding a fourth conversion for an emphatic victory.
Next Saturday Blackheath travel to Kent rivals Tonbridge Juddian with kick off at The Slade at the earlier time of 2.00 pm.
A week’s break follows, before the Club have back-to-back home games, with Birmingham Moseley the visitors on 14th February, and Rams a week later.
Blackheath
Tries: Hennessey 6, 18, Scragg 27, Harding 39, 49, Osborne 45, McGhie 69
Conv: Morley 27, 45, 49, 69
Dings Crusaders
Tries: Ly 34
Conv: Weston 34
Attendance 605
| 15 | . | Ed Dunford |
| 14 | . | Guy Rogers |
| 13 | . | Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas |
| 12 | . | Luke Pollock |
| 11 | . | Jake Hennessey |
| 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 | . | Will Jameson |
| 19 | . | Raff Hollister |
| 20 | . | Kyle McGhie |
Photos: Nick King
Graham Cox
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