ALTHOUGH they lost by the narrowest of margins to Cinderford, North Walsham Rugby Club first team's revival continues.It is small consolation that there were those closely allied to Cinderford, who expressed the view that they would have felt no sense of injustice if the result had gone Walsham's way.

ALTHOUGH they lost by the narrowest of margins to Cinderford, North Walsham Rugby Club first team's revival continues.

It is small consolation that there were those closely allied to Cinderford, who expressed the view that they would have felt no sense of injustice if the result had gone Walsham's way.

In the end Cinderford won 16-15. Cinderford, who ran in 10 tries in the away game without reply, could not have imagined that they would be outscored three tries to one.

The return of Gideon Rossouw brought a real buzz in the dressing room. The hooker is a dynamic personality with a great passion for the game and for Walsham and his presence was a further lift for an already buoyant side.

Walsham had the first opportunity to get the scoreboard moving but Chris Dermody's penalty attempt fell short.

Cinderford began to gain territorial advantage and took the lead with a Tristan Roberts penalty when a Walsham player came off his feet at a ruck, a lead increased to six soon after for a similar offence. The most serious threat to the Walsham line came from scrum half Steve Lynn who got to within ten metres before the ball was knocked on. As so often this season Walsham's kicking out of hand was ill directed and Cinderford's back three were always ready to run the ball back.

Then Walsham produced their first moment of magic. Dermody, just inside the opposition half put up a high kick, Waldo de Jager raced up and took the catch, his pass to Andy Thorpe was way too low, landing at the full back's feet.

Wisely making no attempt at a pick-up, he hacked the ball towards the line dived on it and slid over.

Dermody's kick from a narrow angle struck the angle of post and bar and fell short leaving Walsham just a point adrift at the break.

The half-time discussions were quickly translated into action and after just four minutes a line-out well inside the Walsham 22 was converted into a superbly controlled driving maul, crabbing inexorably towards the posts, before second row James Ciaburro broke off to score and Roberts converted. Three minutes later the Cinderford pack set off from their own half on a similar manoeuvre making their way into Walsham's half before the referee decided somewhat harshly that Walsham pulled it down and Roberts took the lead to 11 points.

Lesser sides would have crumbled but not Walsham. They stepped up a gear.

The changes did nothing to lessen Walsham's effectiveness and now Cinderford's kicking game was failing, too many going into the hands of Young and Thorpe, both of whom made telling returns to maintain territory.

Howard, again with Beck at the heart of the action, took a lineout, the ball was moved quickly via Burroughs, Clymer and Youngs to Adam Gowen to score in the corner.

Again, after superb work by the pack, the backs moved it wide with some slick passing and again Walsham's Thorpe showed why he is one of the best finishers in the division to make the touchdown. Young struck the kick beautifully but it went just wide.