CINDERFORD were a team transformed after the break in their game against second-placed Cambridge but they were unable to claw back a 17-point deficit.

The result meant a first defeat this season at the Beavis Memorial Ground for the Foresters.

Cambridge were strong from the start with and despite Cinderford’s impressive defensive mauling effort, they took the lead after just three minutes.

The ball was shipped out to Kieran Frost who set up Tom Hoppe with a clear path to the try line. Steff James added the extras.

Cinderford were initially dominant in the set piece, winning penalties from the first two scrums, but, it was not long until Cambridge were over the line again as full back, Joe Tarrant danced around home defence and popped the ball to Matt Hema, who claimed five points for 0-12 after 16 minutes

Cinderford spent a great deal of time in their opponent’s 22 but they were no match for Cambridge’s well-drilled defence and were unable to reduce the deficit.

A number of kicks to the corner went awry as the swirling wind took the ball, nullifying any potential advantage from penalties.

Once the the visitors went back in the attacking half, Hema snatched his second try, when he took advantage of gaps in Cinderford defence to make it 0-17 with half an hour gone and that’s how it remained going into interval.

After a slow start to the second half, Cinderford seemed to pick their pace up and make things harder for the away side and there was a distinct change in the momentum.

After lots of back and forth kicking, in classic Cinderford style, George Angell snuck his way out the back of a driving maul and over the line.  

Cinderford had much more possession in the second half but were repeatedly repelled by a strong Cambridge defence.  

The home team did, however, manage to narrow the scores just before the final whistle and earn themselves a losing bonus point with George Porter finding his way through the crowd and over the line for a try which Mike Austin converted.