Rugby

There was disappointment and frustration for Blackheath as they suffered a second defeat in their National League One campaign, and their first away from home.

With both teams entering this contest on two wins from three outings at the outset of their National League One campaigns it was, perhaps, no surprise that the game sat on a knife-edge for an hour, with never more than five points separating the sides.

There was frustration for Blackheath in their first home game of the new National League One season as, despite leading going into the final 10 minutes, late errors enabled Bishop’s Stortford to strike twice and take a 31-27 victory.

Wimbledon knew that this would be a very tough fixture and so it proved. On a blisteringly hot afternoon they travelled to Barnes to face a team still smarting from coming second in National League East last season and missing promotion.

Blackheath play their first home match of the new National League One season tomorrow as they host Bishop’s Stortford at Well Hall (3pm).

This opening match in this league against Dorking, fielding a majority of the side that finished third last season,  always promised to be a tough introduction for Wimbledon, and so it proved – with the visitors running in eight tries to Dons’ four.

Canterbury opened the scoring on three minutes with a move down the left flank, but as the Blackheath forwards began to make inroads, Archie Holland burst away to level for the hosts.

Amongst the scores, a hat-trick for Shae Tucker, the New Zealander and former Cornish Pirate produced an excellent display at outside-centre, and complemented some neat passages of play from the Club back division.

Blackheath take on Barnes at Well Hall on Saturday in two matches, with kick-offs set for 1.00 pm and 3.00 pm.

Blackheath Rugby Club will be able to own their ground and facilities for the first time in their 165-year history thanks to a £725,000 windfall.

Blackheath signed off their 2022-23 National League Two East season at Well Hall in fine style as they scored eight tries to record a 54-5 win over Worthing on Saturday.

Brought together at the last minute, the Dons simply could not compete with a very well-drilled and determined Syston team.

Wimbledon won 28-21 at Bridgnorth in the Community Cup and host Syston this weekend in the same competition.

Perhaps there was a touch of inevitability about Blackheath’s 21-10 defeat at Barnes on Saturday, a week after Club had clinched the National League Two East title.

There were four tries for Jake Lloyd, taking the wing beyond 100 scores in Club colours, but, most significantly of all, it was a result which confirms Blackheath as National League Two East champions and with it the coveted place in National League 1 that they vacated last April.

Croydon’s Trinity School could not repeat their heroics of 12 months ago, but head coach Paul Roberts was delighted to return to Twickenham in the Continental Tyres Schools Cup final.

Blackheath need just five more points to seal promotion from National League Two East after a 21-12 win at Bury St Edmunds.

With Wimbledon having secured the Regional 1 South Central title last week the sizeable crowd of spectators expected this match against Camberley to be little more than an opportunity for the Dons to avenge their one defeat of the season, only to learn that the match been declared by the RFU to be the Surrey Cup final, despite neither team having competed in any preliminary round.

For the second week in succession Blackheath’s bid for promotion from National League Two East looked to be stumbling, as they found themselves under pressure from the outset in a match, and needing to play catch-up after conceding early scores and a sizeable deficit.