After an interval of 27-years, Blackheath are just one-step away from a return to domestic rugby’s second tier, following an outstanding performance to overcome the challenge of Plymouth Albion in the National One Promotion Play-Off.
Under warm spring sunshine, and roared on by a large crowd, including many who’d made the trip up from Devon, both sides produced a physical, bruising encounter which, despite the final scoreline, remained on edge till the final whistle.
On balance, however, it was Blackheath who thoroughly deserved to move on to The Athletic Ground in a fortnight, and but for some superb Albion defence, might have booked their place by the half-time break.
There were ominous early signs for the hosts, as Iwan Jenkins slotted three points for the visitors from a scrum penalty, but it was the only time Albion demonstrated any dominance at the set-piece, and Blackheath soon took a lead they were not to relinquish.
Spotting some light defending around the fringes of the breakdown, Billy Harding burst through the Albion line from just outside his own twenty-two. The Club hooker and skipper found Jordan Burns on his shoulder, the scrum-half injecting his pace, before offloading for Archie Smeaton to romp away for a converted try on twelve minutes.
Blackheath had defensive duties to attend to, two notable tackles made by Raff Holister, but Albion’s increasing penalty count gave the Club the majority of territory for their largely-unchallenged lineout to dominate.
The ever-alert Burns made one of many sharp breaks for Josh Smart to send a long pass for Jake Hennessey out wide, the wing bundled in to touch-in-goal, and the ball just evaded Hollister as his hack dribbled across the goal-line.
Harding also crossed the try-line, the ball though adjudged held up, and once again the visitors held firm, allowed to clear and keep the score to 7-3 at the interval.
A yellow card for Dan Pullinger’s late lunge on Luke Pollock after the re-start saw Albion reduced to 14-men, and Blackheath immediately took full advantage.
As the Club pack drove forward, Sam Morley found Tom Emery, the full-back returning the ball as the fly-half looped behind him, Finn Osborne then arriving and showing strength to muscle over in the left corner.
Then, the re-start saw Emery latch on to loose ball and race forward, before releasing Tom Hughes on his outside to score.
Morley followed up his conversion with a penalty to give the Club a 19-point cushion, but only briefly as Albion struck back with their best moment of the match.
Centre Archie Hill did magnificently to stay on his feet and make ground in midfield, before Jenkins sent up high ball for Noah Fenton to gather and send full-back Harry Legg over for a converted try with 23-minutes remaining.
However, although the Devonians enjoyed more possession than in any other period of the game, it was now the Blackheath defence that proved resolute and held firm till the close.
Blackheath now look forward to a trip to the Richmond Athletic Ground on 23rd May to face either Richmond or London Scottish who play each other at the same venue next Saturday.
The loser will need to defend the place in The Champ against the National League One challengers the following week.
Blackheath
Tries: Smeaton 12, Osborne 45, Hughes 48
Conv: Morley 12, 48
Pens: Morley 54
Plymouth Albion
Tries: Legg 57
Conv: Jenkins 57
Pens: Jenkins 4
Attendance: 1,509
| 15 | . | Tom Emery |
| 14 | . | Tom Hughes |
| 13 | . | Luke Pollock |
| 12 | . | Raff Hollister |
| 11 | . | Jake Hennessey |
| 10 | . | Sam Morley |
| 9 | . | Jordan Burns |
| 1 | . | Archie Holland |
| 2 | . | Billy Harding (Capt) |
| 3 | . | Rory Marsh |
| 4 | . | Archie Smeaton |
| 5 | Ed Scragg | |
| 6 | . | Josh Smart |
| 7 | . | Noah Sloot |
| 8 | . | Finn Osborne |
| 16 | . | Archie Bourne |
| 17 | . | James Cornish |
| 18 | . | Fin O’Sullivan |
| 19 | . | Kyle McGhie |
| 20 | . | Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas |
Photos: Nick King
Graham Cox