Blackheath 46 Hull Ionians 13

The disappointment of Blackheath’s first defeat a week ago at Coventry was quickly dispelled with this eight tries to two victory, lifting the Club to fourth, whilst at the same time consigning Hull Ionians to the foot of the table, the only National League One side without a win from the opening five rounds.

With a dominant scrum, courtesy of Hayden King, Danny Herriott and Kieron Scutt, and smooth functioning line-out, the hosts never looked seriously threatened, and it was the former set-piece that offered a first opportunity to score.  As the Ionians’ eight collapsed at the first engagement, the ball found its way to touch, Harry Fry held the ball at the base of the maul, before Leo Fielding was unleashed out wide, the full-back crossing within four minutes of his return to action after a broken hand.

Ionians also moved the ball sweetly at times, and might have answered with a try of their own but for a forward pass, but the Yorkshiremen’s scoring in the first period would be limited to three points from fly-half Chris Bell, while at the other end Blackheath capitalised fully on their momentum.

With the hosts producing fine ball retention and off-loading, Tom Stradwick drove over at the end of the first quarter, and Mark Cooke finished off another multi-phased move, for a 17-3 lead at the interval.

Josh Davies scored within two minutes of the re-start, as CJ Osazuwa burst clear away from a ruck, an inside ball from the second-row sending his scrum-half over, before a two-man overlap gave Ionians’ full-back Jacob Heath an opportunity to grab one back for the visitors.

However, it was a brief interlude to the main direction of flow.

Freddie Owen crossed after Stradwick and the excellent Tom Baldwin made ground, and Fielding added his second in similar fashion to his first, spurning the extra man outside to glide through the defence.

Mike Perks drove across after Blackheath poached an Ionians line-out, and Alex Pickersgill followed up Tom Chapman’s searing break down the left touch-line for number eight, Ben Stephenson offering some consolation for the visitors with a try at the death.

Next Saturday, Blackheath travel to the West Midlands to take on Birmingham Moseley.  Kick off at Billesley Common is at 3.00 pm.

Blackheath

Tries:   Fielding 2, Stradwick, Cooke, Davies, Owen, Perks, Pickersgill

Pens:    Tarrant 3

Hull Ionians

Tries:   Heath, Stephenson

Pens:    Bell (Chris)