CINDERFORD emerged with a bonus point from a game they were always chasing after conceding 10 points in the opening seven minutes at Sale FC’s Heywood Road ground.

The home team were quickly into their stride and winger Tom Walsh raced over after just three minutes of play, with Tom Curtis landing the conversion.

Soon afterwards Curtis increased the lead with a penalty awarded for a high tackle.

The match then settled down into a well-contested encounter, with the defences of both sides holding firm until the 34th minute when Cinderford winger Will Hendy was adjudged to have been taken out in the air and the referee awarded the visitors a penalty try.

The home team crucially regained their 10-point advantage though just before the interval when Neville Edwards scored a try in the corner, which Curtis converted.

The second-half saw Sale further increase their lead in the early stages with a kick ahead and chase resulting in a second try for Walsh, which Curtis again converted.

At this stage it looked as though the Foresters were heading for a heavy defeat, but they were much improved for the remainder of the match and thoroughly deserved to score when scrum-half Mike Austin stole away down the blindside for a try, which he also converted.

More pressure from the visitors in the closing stages saw them awarded a penalty in front of the posts and Austin was on target to earn his team a point.

Cinderford United remain top of Counties One Western North after another convincing performance. Tom Samak scored four of their tries, with James Kear, Will Anderson, Dan Nicholls and Sam Baker also touching down, along with a penalty try.

Joe Langbridge kicked six conversions as the Foresters beat Clevedon 7-59.

The Stags were also in good form as they defeated Newent Seconds. Reuben Hinds scored two tries and the others came from Luke Jones, Ethan Hopkins, Tom Reynolds and Mattie Cotton.

Jack Cook kicked four conversions.

Cinderford (v Sale FC): Mike Wilcox, Mason Tonks, Will Baldwin, Jamie Forrester, Will Hendy, George Boulton, Mike Austin, George Porter, Nathan Taylor, Shaun Knight, Tyler Jerrum, Jack Shields, Matt Lane, Dec Fissenden, Harry Hone (Capt.)

Repls: Tim Brockett, Harry Edwards, Danny Hodge, George Angell, Morgan Adderly-Jones