Hereford 29 Cheltenham 19
Hereford made a fine start in their really exciting game with Cheltenham at Wyeside which produced eight tries, four in each half. Hereford took an early lead, but Cheltenham responded with a brace of individual tries giving them a 12 points to 7 lead, which they held well into injury time. With just minutes to go at the interval, the Wyesiders, with a second try, levelled the score at 12 points apiece.
Hereford had plenty of possession with good field position for the majority of the half and should have built up a good lead. In the second half, improved handling and some intelligent and determined running from the Wyesiders saw them add three more tries, Cheltenham added a further try, but were unable to bridge the gap and Hereford ran out worthy winners by 29 points to 19.
A delighted Head Coach, Scott Sturdy said “what a great weekend to be a Wyesider with a win each for the HRFC, 1870s and the Colts. A good week of training was transferred onto the field and paid dividends for the HRFC team which put in an accomplished performance, after playing quite poorly in last week’s derby game at Worcester. They played some beautiful attacking rugby at times and scored some quality tries.
The opening try, with Dean Powell chipping over for Mark Philo to finish, some great individual pieces of skill from Levi Hughes and a winning try from Iwan Holder. Holder broke down the touch line, chipped over the winger, ran round, gathered it, stepped inside the full back and raced under the sticks to seal off the game. A really pleasing performance, another 5 points on the board and a great start to 2024.”
“Our 1870s team also got off to a great start with a big 63-point score over local rivals Worcester 2s, great for them to begin the year in such a positive way. A big shout too for the Colts who beat Silhillians 20-17, another really good performance. Harry Corner scored two fantastic tries and this is a real confidence booster to the team who had a difficult start to the season. We have a great weekend ahead and I would ask people to come down to the club to support the players. On Friday evening under the lights, our social team, the Lions, are playing FUBAR, an invitational army side and on Saturday the 1870s are playing highflyers Harbury. Please come and support either game, or both.”
Hereford received the kick off, playing up the slope and worked their way up-field with a mixture of driving forward play and judicious kicking. From a penalty in his own half, Iwan Holder found touch on the Cheltenham 22 and a low throw to Cal Duncan at the front of the line was carried on by Scott Robinson. At the break down, the ball was fed to Dean Powell, whose well-judged chip into the Cheltenham dead ball area was followed up by Mark Philo for the opening try. Holder landed the conversion to give Hereford a 7-point lead.
A yellow card reduced Cheltenham to fourteen men and Hereford continued to have the better possession and field position, but it was Cheltenham that took the lead with two opportunist tries. From a visitors’ tap penalty, the ball ran loose and their lively scrum half picked up and raced through the Hereford defence for an unconverted try. Then the strong-running Cheltenham 13, who appeared to be boxed in to the touchline, found a way through and beating defenders, scored their second try.
Hereford continued to press and as time in the first half was running out, they won a penalty. Holder found a good touch, Ollie Hutcheson won the lineout, the pack drove over the line and Scott Robinson touched down. The try brought the sides equal at half time with 12 points each.
The Wyesiders opened the second half with a period of pressure and good handling leading to a brace of tries from Levi Hughes. Some slick handling gave him ball with a yard of space and he used his pace to outflank the defence and race over in the corner. Then, Hughes again, made ground on the left, moved the ball wide and when the ball came back along the line broke a tackle to dive over for the fourth and bonus point try. Holder converted one of the tries.
Cheltenham got themselves back into the game with a converted try reducing the Hereford lead to 24 points to 19. Hereford sealed the win with an excellent try, Hughes off loaded to Iwan Holder, who chipped over the head of the first defender, after a lovely drive off the tee with a 3 wood, gathered the ball and beat two further defenders to race over for the try, which confirmed the Hereford win at 29 points to 19. The Hereford pack laid the foundation for the result with some very strong set pieces and effective loose play, but it was the much-improved handling from backs and forwards which saw the Wyesiders home.
The 1870s beat Worcester 2s, away from home by 63 points to 8. Tries were scored by Lewis Turner, Alex Thomson, Lewis Jordan, Ollie Bonelle, Joe Vaughan. Ollie Bullied 2 and Nathan Watkins 2. Jordan Sheehy kicked 9 conversions. Next Saturday the 1870s play Harbury, a fixture originally postponed earlier in the season. Harbury are currently lying third in the league 6 points ahead of the 1870s with a game in hand, The HRFC side have a rest week, but will be mindful of playing at Ludlow the following week.
