Sat 16 Nov 2024, 15:00
Hornets 29 Cinderford 29
The Hornets faced promotion hopefuls Cinderford in a closely contested match on a drizzly Saturday, marking the first time the two teams met at the Hornets' home ground. The match started positively for the Hornets, with Charlie Carter scoring the opening try, which was converted by Jamie Ellswood. However, Cinderford quickly responded with a try from blindside flanker Aaron Ryan, converted by Luke McMahon, bringing the score to 7-7.
The Hornets then regained the lead with a try from Connor Vickery, although this went unconverted. Following this, a quick tap and go from hooker Chris Francis extended the Hornets' advantage, leading to a halftime score of 19-7 in favour of the Hornets.
After the break, the Hornets came out strong, with Josh Sheppard adding another try to make it 24-7. Cinderford, however, launched a spirited comeback, starting with a try from George Evans, which McMahon converted. This was followed by another try from George Perry, again converted by McMahon, narrowing the gap to just five points.
Cinderford then took the lead with a well-executed try from hooker Nathan Taylor following a lineout converted by McMahon and they edged further ahead with a penalty, making the score 29-24. But the Hornets weren't done yet; with five minutes remaining, they rallied fiercely, leading to Corey Baker crashing over the line to level the score at 29-29.
In a tense final moment, Charlie Carter had a chance to secure victory with a conversion attempt, but it drifted wide, resulting in a disappointing draw for the Hornets. While they will reflect on missed opportunities throughout the match, a draw was ultimately seen as a fair outcome given the competitive nature of the game.
