A drop-goal from Corben Ollivent, because the clock ticked previous the 80-minute mark, denied Blackheath what would have been a hard-fought Nationwide League One draw as they have been edged out 15-12 at Rotherham Titans on Saturday, writes Graham Cox.
With Storm Darragh producing a swirling wind, a greasy ball, and an more and more cut-up taking part in floor, the Yorkshiremen labored a place in entrance of the uprights for the Titans fly-half to grab victory.
On steadiness, it is going to go down as a deserved win for the previous Championship aspect, going by way of one thing of a resurgence after dropping two ranges.
Rotherham had the vast majority of territory and stress, and whereas Blackheath edged a lineout which was usually a lottery within the circumstances, the Titans’ scrum loved large dominance, successful quite a lot of penalties.
That stated, errors within the opposition’s 22 hampered the hosts early on, and it was the guests who struck first. As Jake Hennessey despatched ball excessive into the gloom from full-back on 13 minutes, Leo Fielding sprinted ahead to make an excellent take, Matt Armstrong made a couple of extra metres, earlier than the ball moved its manner again to Fielding, the outside-centre’s lengthy move discovered Jake Lloyd to cross within the nook for a 5-0 lead.
It was inevitable that Rotherham’s stress would finally rely. Because the hosts pressed following a five-metre scrum, ball handed its strategy to left-wing Aidan Shorthall to stage the rating on the break, and because the Yorkshiremen picked and drove once more after the restart, scrum-half JB Bruzulier noticed a niche to flop over the goal-line for a second strive. Lloyd Hayes’ conversion put them 12-5 forward.
Nonetheless, as that they had executed within the first interval, Blackheath made probably the most of restricted possibilities, and with Oskar Hirshkyj-Douglas arriving off the bench to shrug away tacklers, and Jordan Burns making additional floor, Markus Burcham twisted and offloaded to Lloyd for the wing’s second strive. Tom Ffitch’s excellent touchline conversion levelled the scores as soon as once more.
It regarded as if Blackheath’s resolute defence would cling on for the draw, however as an adjudged knock-on handed Rotherham a last-ditch scrum, the hosts had the right platform to arrange Ollivent to do the remaining.
Blackheath return to The Utilita Effectively Corridor subsequent week for 2 dwelling fixtures earlier than the Christmas break. On Saturday they face Leicester Lions, earlier than Bishop’s Stortford are the guests on December 21. Each matches kick-off at 3pm.
