Cinderford 32 Stourbridge Saxons 30

Stourbridge Saxons came within a whisker of bagging a vital victory at fellow National One strugglers Cinderford.

But they were edged out by just two points with the Forest of Dean side securing the win with the final play of the match.

Stourbridge were behind as early as the second minute, Mike Wilcox touching down in the right corner after Neville Codlin had created the opening.

Mark Woodrow kicked a penalty for Saxons on seven minutes after Cinderford hooker Tom Bozzard was penalised for handling in the ruck.

And a second successful kick followed soon after when Bozzard’s backchat invited the referee to advance a penalty 10 vital metres into the wind.

Rory Teague missed a kickable penalty from around 30 metres, but the Foresters did regain the lead on 22 minutes when Kai Done broke through the Stourbridge defence after a spell of pressure on the try line.

There was little to choose between the sides at this stage and the lead exchanged hands again when the Saxons bagged their first try, Sam Robinson going over off from close range after several phases deep in the Cinderford 22. Woodrow duly added the extras.

Teague finally found his range three minutes before the break, slotting over a penalty to leave the sides tied at 13-13 at the interval.

With the wind now at their backs, Stourbridge started the second-half strongly and pressed the Cinderford try line.

But to no avail, as Teague intercepted a long pass intended for Nathan Bressington and made it to halfway before the Stourbridge defence halted his charge.

Nonetheless, Saxons did cross on 49 minutes, Liam Wordley touching down after the Stourbridge pack drove over from a lineout, before Woodrow continued his perfect goal-kicking record to add the conversion.

Frustratingly for the visitors, they then conceded a near-carbon copy try just three minutes later as Bozzard went over from a Cinderford lineout and Teague converted to level the scores once again.

It was now Stourbridge’s turn to attack as the ebb and flow continued unabated, with Gary Dipple duly nudging the visitors into the lead once again as he finished off a move in the right corner, Woodrow converting from near the touchline.

Woodrow added a penalty on 63 minutes, the referee once again punishing the home tackler for failing to roll away.

With 17 minutes left and a ten-point advantage, it looked as though Stourbridge had finally opened up a decisive lead.

But the home side had other ideas and stepped up their game, spending the remaining minutes camped near the Saxons line.

With 10 minutes to go, the pressure told as defenders were sucked in on the Cinderford left and, when the ball was recycled, it quickly came right to Codlin who went over with the assistance of his pack.

Teague added the conversion to reduce the arrears to just three points. Almost from the restart, Cinderford again closed inexorably on the Saxons try line.

With the clock already showing 80 minutes, another ruck close to the line provided the home side with the opportunity to feed Codlin, who scored in the corner to snatch victory despite Teague’s unsuccessful conversion attempt.