Blackheath romp to easy victory over struggling Manchester (From News Shopper)

Blackheath romp to easy victory over struggling Manchester

11:11pm Sunday 29th November 2009

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Blackheath 82 Manchester 0

Twelve tries and Blackheath's biggest ever margin of victory in league rugby.

The anticipated slaughter of financially troubled Manchester was never in doubt from the moment number-eight Gareth Jones touched down in the third minute as the Club pack steamrollered their counterparts backwards at the first scrum.

However, the visitors can take some solace from denying Blackheath the open flowing game they sought, a fact that translated into some impatience in the Club back-line, and it took the pack to calm nerves and come up with the early scores.

Forward drives from close range line-outs produced two tries for flanker Dave Allen, sandwiching a score from Paul Humphries after a Blackheath scrum, and giving the hosts their four-try bonus point after just 20 minutes.

Allen collected his hat trick from an over-thrown Manchester line-out and lovely handling sent Sean Moan across for Blackheath to lead 40-0 at the break.

Ever popular prop Simon Legg was driven across early in the second period before centre Steve Hamilton nipped under the uprights for try number eight, and then a penalty try from a collapsed scrum summed up the Club’s forward dominance.

A lovely break from wing Tyson Lewis sent full-back Tom White over on 66 minutes, deserving second-row Neil Dewale was worked over towards the finish and Lewis rounded things off with a fine score and Humphries kicked his eleventh conversion.

We must admire Manchester.

They showed terrific spirit to maintain the effort through to the death in yet another hopeless cause.

It takes terrific guts to go through this experience week after week and in this instance their reward was keeping Blackheath around 20 points short of the score they may have expected.

This fixture was originally scheduled to be played up at Grove Park, but was switched at Manchester’s request to enable them to host Blackheath in March as one of the events to mark the Cheshire club’s 150th anniversary.

Let’s hope their playing strength has improved enough by then to make that a fitting occasion.

Blackheath are likely to face a stiffer test next Saturday when they take on Cinderford at Rectory Field in a 2.30 pm kick-off.

Scorers: Blackheath Tries: Jones, Allen 3, Humphries, Moan, Legg, Hamilton, Penalty, White, Dewale, Lewis. Conv: Humphries 11

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