Blackheath 31 Hull Ionians 29.

At Brantingham Park in October a last-ditch Leo Fielding penalty had snatched the win. Now, in the reverse fixture, the same player produced the neat inside ball on 77 minutes that found Jake Lloyd arriving at pace, the wing slicing through the cover to cross next to the uprights, giving Blackheath victory once again, and by the same margin of points.

Even then the visitors wouldn’t lie down, and an endless final play saw two drop-goal attempts by Ionians’ fly-half Callum Irvine, the first charged-down, and the second of which continued to bobble so wide in-goal it nearly set up a try in the corner, but the ball was scrambled to safety and the hosts claimed their full share of the spoils.

Nevertheless, and despite moments of sparkle to match the glorious winter sunshine, Blackheath never gained control of the game in which their high penalty count interrupted their momentum. Continually penalised for going off their feet at the breakdown, Isaac Green was able to kick an early three points, and as the hosts failed to put their own penalty into touch, Hull made use of the territory to work second-row Chris Eggleshaw across for an 8-0 lead on as many minutes.

It took Blackheath until the end of the opening quarter to really haul themselves into the contest, but as they did so they quickly took the lead. Geoff Griffiths benefitted from a two-man overlap after Hull lost possession at a line-out, and Sam Eydmann spotted an opportunity to move blind and send Lloyd haring down the right touch-line for a second try.

Lloyd made the break down the opposite flank in the 34th minute, following turnover ball on half-way, the wing being held short but popping the ball up for Mark Cooke to score, but Hull returned to the attack to drive open-side James Sanderson across, and with a fine conversion from out wide from Green, the arrears were reduced to 17-15 at the break.

Fielding’s interception try from 80 metres out gave Blackheath some breathing space at the start of the second period, but again Hull struck back. A quickly taken tap-penalty on halfway opened up the Club’s defence for right-wing Sam Wilson to go over while two Blackheath attacks failed with possession turned-over. Then, as a missed tackle on Green exposed the hosts’ centre once again, the Ionians scrum-half off-loaded to back-row Zak Poole for a fourth try on the hour, adding a third conversion himself to put his side five points ahead, and with Blackheath reduced to 14-men with Griffiths dismissed for a stray elbow, a first win in six attempts against the Club, as well as five valuable points to aid the visitors’ battle against relegation, moved into sight.

However, with Tom Ellis making his first appearance of the campaign after recovering from an arm injury, and Matt Heeks also on for his debut at scrum-half, Blackheath mounted one final spell of pressure to send Lloyd across before nervously holding on to deny the Yorkshiremen.

Next Saturday Blackheath make the long journey north to Crow Trees to take on Blaydon before returning to Well Hall on 4th February for the visit of Ampthill.

Blackheath.

Tries: Griffiths, Lloyd 2, Cooke, Fielding.

Conv: Fielding 3.

Hull Ionians.

Tries: Eggleshaw, Sanderson, Wilson, Poole.

Conv: Green 3.

Pens: Green.