Blackheath 29 Hartpury College 24.

A terrific finale to a match which looked done and dusted by the 65th minute after Hartpury had recovered from a narrow half-time deficit to lead by 16 points.

Indeed the visitors had looked the better side for most of the contest, fly-half Gareth Thompson kicking them into a 6-0 lead by the half-hour mark, Blackheath blind-side Richard Pike making some huge tackles as the hosts mounted some desperate last-ditch defence.

However, with Club second-rows Tom Bason and George Oram leading the charge, signs of Hartpury’s indiscipline began to emerge and with two men in the sin-bin a penalty from fly-half Alex Gallagher, followed by a try for hooker Gavin O’Meara from line-out ball, established an 8-6 half-time Blackheath advantage.

The third quarter undoubtedly belonged to the Gloucestershire side. With their set-scrum gaining an edge, back-row Luke Stratford and wing Stephen Reynolds added tries to Thompson’s fine kicking as the visitors established their seemingly unassailable lead.

But as Blackheath began to mount pressure once again, inside-centre Ollie Evans producing some fine out of hand kicking, Hartpury’s indiscipline returned to haunt them.

A series of penalties set the opportunity for tight-head Will Stuart to be driven over from a close-range line-out and O’Meara scored his second in similar fashion, Ryan Squires adding a second conversion having moved to fly-half. Then, in the dying moments, a long period of attack which went through numerous phases culminated in Bason crashing over for the winning try.

Next Saturday Blackheath travel to Durham for their first league visit to Darlington Mowden Park. Kick-off at The Northern Echo Arena is 3.00 pm.

Blackheath.

Tries: O’Meara 2, Stuart, Bason.

Conv: Squires 3.

Pens: Gallagher.

Hartpury College.

Tries: Stratford, Reynolds.

Conv: Thompson.

Pens: Thompson 4.