Any trip to the Forest of Dean should not be undertaken lightly. The rugby passion is high, the weather usually very unfriendly and a very partisan crowd give officials and visiting players a torrid time. Richmond experienced all these adversities at Lydney, with conditions barely playable, and they can count themselves unfortunate to end up on the wrong side of a second defeat of the season, having gone down 20-21 at the Athletic Ground in December.

The first decision for referee Mr Bickle was whether the pitch was playable. After a midday downpour there were large pools of water on parts of the pitch and some late work with a fork was necessary to enable the game to proceed. Richmond chose to defend the lower half of the sloping pitch and thereby the part of the ground most prone to excess water. Both sides opted to test conditions with exploratory kicking early on and Johnny Wehbe caught and cleared well for Richmond on two or three early occasions. Luke Cousins was subsequently unfortunate enough to lose his footing in the worst of  the mud when taking another high ball and Lydney mounted the first prolonged attack.

Richmond appeared to have absorbed the pressure well when, in the twelfth minute, they conceded the first try, once again rather too easily. Scrum half Ryan Burford dummied to pass out to his backs and the obliging Richmond defence parted to allow a huge gap for Burford to run twenty-five metres for a simple try, converted by Mark Davies.

The error at least seemed to energise Richmond, as they levelled the score only three minutes later. A Lydney move broke down under pressure and Alex Maclennan and Joe Brown took full advantage to take play into the Lydney 22. From the ruck, the ball was worked to the open side before being recycled the other way, Toby Henry providing Peter Clarke with his second try of the season. Matt Hart added the conversion.

Lydney generally dominated proceedings for the rest of the half, using the slope to good effect but lacking a cutting edge.  Richmond looked more convincing when they ran the ball and they demonstrated this to good effect in the fortieth minute when fly half Cousins made a strong break, following battering progress from the forwards, and Maclennan was well positioned on his inside shoulder to take the scoring pass from about ten metres out. Richmond therefore held a 14-7 lead at half time with the advantage to come of playing down the slope.

However things did not go to plan in the second half. Injuries, errors and the wrong end of the referee’s decisions all cost them dear. Matt Hart did not come out for the second half, his replacement involving Nick Moore moving to full back. Handling mistakes now multiplied, the heavy drizzle making playing conditions very difficult. The different team colours among the forwards were rapidly obliterated as the game became an increasing war of attrition between the opposing packs. With the benefit of some marginal decisions, Lydney gained territorial advantage and Richmond opted to kick away their limited possession in a vain attempt to set up a potential scoring position.

Ten minutes into the second half another Richmond error gifted the second Lydney try. Faced with a well placed grubber kick, winger and full back looked at each other and each left clearance duties to the other, allowing the Lydney winger to hack through and touch down for a 14-14 scoreline.

Worse was to follow. Tom George was given an unexpected yellow card half way through the second half. A determined Lydney pack raised their game and Richmond struggled in the treacherous conditions underfoot to hold a driving maul from the line out. Referee Mr Bickle had no sympathy and immediately signalled a penalty try, converted by Davies.

Gareth Blackborow made his first team debut for the final fifteen minutes, the fiftieth player for the first fifteen this season.  He was part of a strong forwards’attack in the final minutes with the forwards picking and driving through the middle. Having worked their way to the shadow of the posts, the ball was knocked forward and the moment lost as the final whistle immediately followed. Lydney needed the points and battled commendably
hard to gain them but Richmond will be cursing some ill fortune and will know that this was a game they really could have won.

Next week Richmond entertain leaders Barking at the Athletic Ground (KO 3pm) and hopefully the weather gods will by then be in better humour.

Tries: Clarke, Maclennan

Conversions: Hart (2)

Team: M.Hart (D.West) J.Wehbe, N.Moore, A.Maclennan, J.Brown,  L.Cousins, T.Henry  A.Lyon (G.Blackborow), J.Phipps (J.Clapson), D.Marfo , H.Head (C), T.Wesley, T.George, J.Downey, P.Clarke (G.Hart).