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Mowden ready for big day
DARLINGTON Mowden Park's play-off hosts, Cinderford, suffered a blow in midweek when their highly-rated fly half, Tristan Roberts, broke an ankle in helping Hartpury College to win the BUSA Championship final against Loughborough at Twickenham.
Another Cinderford player, former England Under 18 winger Henry Trinder, showed his paces in scoring a try in the 23-15 victory.
Hartpury are coached by ex-Gloucester lock Mark Cornwell, who also shares player-coach duties at Cinderford with 40-year-old prop Andy Deacon, another former Gloucester man.
The Premiership club's academy also supply a few players to the Forest of Dean side, who are expecting a crowd of 2,000 tomorrow for the only match in the county.
They have been urging all regulars in Gloucester's notorious Shed to come along and take over The Bank, as one end of their ground is known.
"It will be quite a hostile atmosphere, but that's what big games are about," said Mowden's Director of Rugby, Andy Howells, who will be paying his first visit to Cinderford, despite being a former Pontypridd player.
"Our boys are focused and really firing, and I'm confident we can win."
Mowden are taking two coachloads of supporters as they attempt to climb into National Two for the first time after seven seasons in National Three North.
Cinderford are billing it as their biggest ever game, and the only other occasion which has rivalled this for Mowden was their trip to Harlequins in the last 16 of the national cup seven years ago. Their hosts have finished as runners-up in their second season in National Three South.
Mowden made sure of the play-off place with a 27-25 win at Morley last Saturday, when fly half Jon Benson had to retire at half-time following a blow on the head.
His replacement Charlie Rayner created a selection headache by crowning a good second half display with two excellent penalties to seal victory. But Benson has recovered and Howells has decided to back his experience.
The only remaining doubt surrounds prop Dan Miller, who came off with a calf injury at Morley. But he is likely to be pressed into service as Robbie Kalbraier will not play until next season because of his neck problem.
10:39am Friday 25th April 2008
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