A dull, grey, afternoon on the Wirral and little, from a Blackheath perspective, to lift the gloom, despite the welcome return of Markus Burcham, and the long-awaited 100th appearance in Club colours for another stalwart, Harry Fry.
In a stop-start contest, littered with penalties, the Club enjoyed a majority of possession and territory, had the better of the set-piece, but Caldy’s more clinical execution of their limited opportunities won the day.
Blackheath had the better start. Caldy conceded four penalties in the opening eight minutes, only for a strike at goal to fall wide, and a kick miss touch.
However, on 18 minutes, after the visitors secured a second scrum penalty, Dom McGeekie tapped back clean lineout ball, and James Newey’s pass found Nick Foster to cut a fine angle to open the scoring.
Caldy’s first incursion into the Club twenty-two resulted in three points for wing Ben Jones, and soon after, Blackheath were conceding further penalties, allowing loose-head Adam Aigbokhae to be driven across from lineout ball.
Blackheath still had opportunity, but having been guilty of going off their feet just short of the goal-line, they butchered a quickly taken tap-penalty by losing the ball forward, and with Jones adding three more points, the Cheshire side went into the break with an 11-5 lead.
More frustration followed for the visitors, as a second missed touch-kick enabled a fine move from the ensuing scrum for Caldy centre Michael Barlow to send full-back Elliot Gourlay across for a try.
Blackheath launched countless phases with Burcham and Andrew Boye making minor incursions, but the Caldy defence was resolute, holding the visitors at bay on their twenty-two, until a moment of inspiration saw Jake Lloyd collect his own chip forward and sprint across the try-line, reducing the deficit to 16-10.
A cynical challenge by Tom Sanders resulted in a yellow card for the Caldy second-row, and with the one-man advantage, Boye stormed over the goal-line from lineout ball.
However, the officials judged the ball held up, and with the new law change allowing the hosts to clear their lines, the sting had gone from Blackheath’s resurgence.
A penalty for crossing enabled to Jones to make his third successful strike, pushing Caldy’s lead beyond a converted score with just eight minutes remaining, and the wing racked up his eleventh point moments later, following a neat lineout move put flanker Callum Ridgway across for a third try.
Blackheath return to Well Hall next Saturday for the visit of Chinnor. Kick-off is at 3.00 pm.
Caldy
Tries: Aigbokhae 29, Gourlay 46, Ridgway 76
Conv: Jones 76
Pens: Jones 22, 39, 72
Blackheath
Tries: Foster 18, Lloyd 56
Blackheath Team
15 . Jake Hennessey
14 . Jake Lloyd
13 . James Newey
12 . Markus Burcham
11 . Nick Foster
10 . Freddie Gabbitass
9 . Ollie Claxton
1 . Tom Williams
2 . Nathan Marris
3 . Matt Collins
4 . Dom McGeekie
5 . Ed Taylor (Capt)
6 . Tom Stradwick
7 . Harry Dugmore
8 . Harry Holland
16 . Harry Fry
17 . Andrew Boye
18 . Freddie Owen
19 . Marcus Kershaw
20 . George Spencer
Graham Cox
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