Blackheath win 36-12 at home to Birmingham Moseley as National League 1 status looks secure

BY GRAHAM COX

A comfortable win for Blackheath against the side who started the day in third place in National League 1, built on a first-half display that saw the Club secure the four-try bonus by the interval.

Playing with pace and energy from the outset, the hosts clinically executed their opportunities, defended resolutely when required, and had enough of a cushion at the break to withstand the pressure that came from the opposition in the second period.

As Jake Lloyd and Noah Sloot combined to gather possession from Tom Ffitch’s well-judged kick-off, space was found for Billy Harding to break on the right flank.  Will Davis, who made ground all afternoon, punctured the defence, and as ball found its way to Mark Cooke, the inside-centre stepped inside before gliding across to put the hosts ahead with less than 70 seconds played.

Moseley responded with loose-head Ethan Priest piling over from a lineout move, the conversion rebounded off the upright, but as Blackheath kept up the tempo, Jake Hennessey came up from full-back to meet Ffitch’s pass and make the line break in midfield. Davis and a weaving Markus Burcham carried close to the goal-line, before Lloyd bludgeoned through three defenders to touch down out wide.

The visitors launched their own assault from set-piece, only for Sloot to get underneath and hold ball up across the goal-line, and further pressure was relieved after Tom Everard pilfered a Moseley throw.

In the 33rd minute, Cooke’s back-handed pass found its way to Lloyd, the wing showed great footwork and shrugged away tacklers to slip under the uprights for his second try.

Then, as half-time approached, and with confidence surging, Blackheath opted for territory when three points were on offer, and as Cooke, Burcham and Andy Denham flew in and added their weight to the maul, Harding crashed over for 26-5 lead at the break.

A bright start to the second half from Blackheath was spoiled by a needless penalty for backchat, and despite losing a man to the bin for head contact, Moseley’s heavyweight pack began to get on top of a scrum which had shown parity prior to the interval.

On 57 minutes, the visitors picked and drove infield from lineout ball for fly-half Ollie Allsopp to dive across for a converted score, but a Ffitch penalty close to the hour-mark stretched Blackheath away again.

Archie Holland came off the bench to make a couple of hits and, like Sloot earlier, frustrated the West Midlanders by turning possession on the Club goal-line.

In the dying moments Lloyd cut a swathe up field, and as the visitors went off their feet, the tap-penalty saw Tom Baldwin drive over, Ffitch added a fourth conversion to complete the win.

Blackheath travel to Berkshire to take on promotion challengers Rams on Saturday, with kick-off at Old Bath Road at 3pm.  The Club return to The Utilita on April 6 for their penultimate home fixture against Sedgley Park.

PICTURES: ANDY WANSBURY