Photos courtesy of Claire Jeffrey
A second win on the bounce for Cambridge, and a fifth narrow defeat for Blackheath, despite the Club leading the contest for nearly an hour.
On a fine autumnal afternoon, a total contrast to last week, and in conditions the hosts should have found to their liking, Blackheath looked to move the ball, a policy that paid dividends early as Sam Evans kicked penalties in the ninth and thirteenth minutes for a 6-0 lead.
Cambridge, on the other hand, spurned a couple of goal kicking opportunities, preferring to back their set-piece, notably on the half-hour when the rapid concession of four penalties saw Blackheath defending a scrum under their own uprights having been camped on the visitors’ goal-line moments earlier.
That opportunity was scuppered, but on 37 minutes, following a kick to touch, fly-half Lawrence Rayner threaded neatly through the Club defence for Nana Asiedu, the wing gathering expertly just inside the touchline before diving across for the only try of the opening period.
Evans added his third penalty on the stroke of half-time as Cambridge fell off-side, giving Blackheath a 9-5 advantage, but the Club lacked penetration in the midfield and their lineout let them down at key moments.
Cambridge, however, took full advantage of their opportunities, and as Blackheath were penalised for holding on, after the visitors broke from defence and with an hour played, the ball went to the corner.
The first lineout move resulted in a yellow card for Matt Collins for handling in the ruck, but as Cambridge drove off the subsequent throw, hooker Ben Brownlie touched down to give the visitors the lead for the first time.
Rayner added the conversion from out wide, following with a 74th minute penalty as Blackheath went off their feet trying to break out of defence, and Cambridge never looked like losing their grip.
Next weekend sees a big occasion for Kent rugby as Blackheath travel to The Slade for first-ever league meeting with newly-promoted Tonbridge Juddian. Kick off is at 3 pm.
Blackheath
Pens: S Evans 9, 16, 40
Cambridge
Tries: Asiedu 37, Brownlie 66
Conv: Rayner 66
Pens: Rayner 74
Attendance: 659
Blackheath Team
15 . Marcus Kershaw
14 . Jake Lloyd
13 . Ollie Evans
12 . James Newey
11 . Howard Packman
10 . Sam Evans
9 . Ollie Claxton
1 . Matt Meek
2 . Nathan Morris
3 . Matt Collins
4 . Tom Stradwick
5 . Ed Taylor (Capt)
6 . Dom McGeekie
7 . Freddie Owen
8 . Steve Leonard
16 . Harry Fry
17 . Tom Williams
18 . Harry Holland
19 . Dan Hiscocks
20 . Sam Kennaugh
Graham Cox
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