Rugby union: Lloyd scores key try on 200th Blackheath appearance as they defeat Plymouth Albion
BY GRAHAM COX
Jake Lloyd celebrated his 200th appearance in Blackheath colours with his 107th try as they claimed a third successive win for the first time in the current National League One campaign – 34-12 against Plymouth Albion.
Lloyd’s try came at an important moment for the hosts too as Albion, who started the day five places above Blackheath in the league table in fourth spot, might have been sensing that a 17-5 half-time deficit was not insurmountable.
However sharp thinking from Lloyd saw the Club wing intercept and race under the posts for Blackheath’s fourth try of the match in the 54th minute, putting further distance between the sides, before the exceptional moment of the match effectively sealed the result.
Tom Stradwick bulldozed through the midfield from the restart as Jack Day and Tom Ffitch marshalled the hosts through the phases from half-back. Andy Denham and Stradwick again made ground before Mark Cooke, with an outrageous pass akin to an American Football scrimmage, found Jake Hennessey, the full-back showed a great step to beat two defenders to make it a 26-point advantage.
Albion replied late, back-row Torin Clarke drove across, but Ffitch added a 75th-minute penalty to his three conversions and Blackheath eased to victory.
It was all built on an excellent first period made up of a solid set-piece, committed tackling in defence and the pack keeping Blackheath firmly on the front foot.
A powerful drive off lineout ball saw Stradwick over on three minutes, followed soon after by Billy Harding in similar fashion, the hooker peeled blind from a maul after Albion were temporarily down to 14 men for a high tackle.
Blackheath opted for a scrum from a penalty in front of the posts and, with the extra space available, Ffitch’s long pass sent Andy Denham over out wide in the 22nd minute.
The final 10 minutes of the period belonged to Albion as the visitors launched wave after wave of assaults in the Club twenty-two, only to be repelled by some great defensive work, including a turnover from Will Davis.
Eventuallyon the stroke of half-time hooker Gabe Mead drove across to give the Devonians a glimmer, only for Lloyd to blot it out.
Blackheath have a weekend off now before travelling to Richmond on March 8.
Wimbledon lost 32-22 at home to Henley in National League 2 East.
The Dons are second bottom in the table.
David Aniebonam scored two tries with Bradley Pinkham putting the South London club’s first points on the board when he went over.
Edward Morgan chipped in with two conversions and a penalty.
PICTURES: ANDY WANSBURY
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