Blackheath 18 v Cinderford 20.

An outstanding performance from Rory Teague saw Cinderford snatch victory at the death and consign Blackheath to only their second home defeat of the season.

Trailing by six points going into the final quarter at Rectory Field, Teague kicked majestically from defence to thwart Blackheath’s attempts to kill off resistance, as well as adding a 66th minute drop-goal, narrowing the deficit.

Then, with just two minutes remaining, the Cinderford fly-half made the line-break that pierced the hosts’ defence, before outside-centre Robbie Winchle was sent over for the winning try.

But if the final score-line of a rugby match were determined by the level of territory and possession, Blackheath should have been out of sight by then, such was their domination of the first hour.

A clinical start by the Club enabled Ben Ibrahim to break blind of an attacking scrum and find Richard Lankshear for a try on just six minutes, but the advantage was quickly cancelled out as the Foresters’ right-wing Nev Codlin immediately tore open the Blackheath defence for scrum-half Danny Pointon to score.

An Adam Armstrong penalty and a beautifully struck Sam Windsor drop-goal inched Blackheath ahead, but Cinderford’s one sustained assault of the first period came deep in added time as number-eight George Evans went over, giving the visitors a 12-11 interval lead.

Blackheath maintained the territorial advantage after the break, only to continually spill ball in contact and turn-over possession, until eventually Dave Allen was driven across on 57 minutes, the open-side’s twelfth try of the campaign. But the hosts couldn’t find the killer punch to close the game out, leaving the door open for Teague to guide the Gloucestershire side to a much-needed success.

‘We were rusty after the Christmas break and ran out of juice,’ said Club Performance Director Yusuf Ibrahim.

‘Credit must go to Cinderford for playing for the full 80 minutes.’ Next Saturday Blackheath travel to Yorkshire to take on Wharfedale. Kick-off at The Avenue is 2.00 pm and supporters unable to travel to the Dales can get live updates on BBC Radio Kent (96.7FM, 104.2FM, DAB).

Blackheath Tries: Lankshear, Allen Conv: Armstrong Pens: Armstrong DG: Windsor.

Cinderford Tries: Pointon, Evans, Winchle Conv: Teague DG: Teague