Not perfect, but nevertheless an emphatic display from Blackheath which, with Rotherham’s game postponed, moves the Club up to second place in National League One.
Against the side currently at the foot of the table, the hosts were in complete command of this contest, bar a wobble around half time when Leicester Lions scored two of their three tries.
By that time, however, Blackheath had crossed the goal-line on four occasions, before regaining the initiative after the interval and doubling their tally to move beyond the half-century.
Pace from Jordan Burns, following turnover ball on halfway courtesy of the back-row of Will Jameson, Noah Sloot and Archie Smeaton, got the hosts underway, the scrum half tearing a line through the Lions’ defence before releasing Raff Hollister to score on eight minutes, but it was the Club’s driving maul that put them fully in control.
Pressure from a charged-down clearance led to a first opportunity off close-range lineout ball, Billy Harding duly obliging by crashing over on the blind-side of the drive.
Matt Dalrmyple followed up with a second conversion from out wide, before finding two excellent kicks for Harding to drive over twice more, completing a hat-trick within the half-hour, and a total of 29 for the season to date for the Club hooker and skipper.
Nevertheless, Leicester Lions have proved awkward visitors in their short time at Level Three, winning almost exactly two years ago on their first trip to Well Hall when in the same league position, and only narrowly defeated last term.
Now, with Blackheath 26-0 ahead, and affording themselves the luxury of four early replacements in order to rest key players, the East Midlanders struck with a lightning move to send right-wing Jake Sterland across for a try on half-time.
Within three minutes of the re-start, and while the hosts continued to reorganise themselves, the Lions were back within 14-points as blind-side Monty Loggenberg was worked across close to the uprights.
Despite territorial pressure, a lack of accuracy continued to haunt Blackheath for a while, with ball spilt forward in attacking positions, but on 58 minutes, Jake Hennessey picked Sam Morley’s pass off his toes to cross in the corner.
Five minutes later, lineout ball found its way across field, and with Dalrymple hitting Kyle McGhie’s pass at pace, the fly-half sent Hennessey flying down the touchline for wing’s second score, putting the result beyond doubt.
Leicester produced some momentum for Loggenberg to nip across for a second try, but Finn Osborne’s quick tap-penalty saw Archie Holland bundle over and Luke Pollock scythed through a tiring Lions’ defence to close the game out.
Next Saturday, Blackheath make the short journey along the South Circular to Priory Lane in Roehampton to face old rivals Rosslyn Park who currently sit 5th in the National League One table, before returning to the Utilita Well Hall on 24th January for the visit of Dings Crusaders.
Both matches kick off at 3.00 pm.
Blackheath
Tries: Hollister 8, Harding 14, 21, 29, Hennessey 58, 64, Holland 75, Pollock 80
Conv: Dalrymple 8, 14, 29, 64, 75, 80
Leicester Lions
Tries: Sterland 40, Loggenberg 43, 72
Conv: Mannion 43, 72
Attendance: 605
| 15 | . | Tom Emery |
| 14 | . | Jake Hennessey |
| 13 | . | Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas |
| 12 | . | Luke Pollock |
| 11 | . | Raff Hollister |
| 10 | . | Matt Dalrymple |
| 9 | . | Jordan Burns |
| 1 | . | Archie Holland |
| 2 | . | Billy Harding (Capt) |
| 3 | . | Rory Marsh |
| 4 | . | Fin O’Sullivan |
| 5 | Ed Scragg | |
| 6 | . | Will Jameson |
| 7 | . | Noah Sloot |
| 8 | . | Archie Smeaton |
| 16 | . | Archie Bourne |
| 17 | . | James Cornish |
| 18 | . | Finn Osborne |
| 19 | . | Sam Morley |
| 20 | . | Kyle McGhie |
Photos: Nick King
Graham Cox