The Big Match Preview – Blackheath v Birmingham Moseley

Chris Bertram on the start of a tricky run of matches

The weather has not been kind to Birmingham Moseley and their rivals Rosslyn Park this year.  January 10th saw the snow at Billesley  force postponement, and last Saturday heavy and sustained rain over a period of days if not weeks meant that the pitch was unplayable, so the match has been put back again (March 7th seems to be the new date).  We can only hope that it’s third time lucky and that the weather relents enough to allow play to take place.

This was supposed to be the weekend when games in hand from postponements were played, and indeed two other games did take place.  The results arguably suited Moseley, with both Clifton and Sedgley Park losing, the former heavily to league leaders Rotherham, the latter to a resurgent Leeds Tykes.   Moseley remain in 10th place, still with that game in hand over close rivals Dings Crusaders, Leeds, Sedgley Park and Bishop’s Stortford. 

However, the chance to catch up must now wait a few weeks, and the intervening fixtures present a daunting challenge for the red-and-blacks.  In turn, we face the third, second and top placed sides in the league, in the form of Blackheath (away), Plymouth Albion (home) and Rotherham Titans (away).  Any points that can be gained from these games will perhaps be seen by the team and the management as a bonus, yet there must be hope for more given recent form on the pitch.

First up are Blackheath, “Club” to their supporters and to many others.  Quite apart from sharing red and black as their club colours, Moseley and Club have history going back many years, and both have moved their home grounds in recent years, Blackheath from the Rectory Field to Well Hall, Moseley from the Reddings to Billesley via Bournbrook.  There’s a lot in common between the two old clubs, and there will no doubt be much reminiscing among the alickadoos.

The recent series of results between the two sides is actually balanced in Moseley’s favour by 15 wins to 7.  This includes the match at Billesley in October, when Moseley triumphed by 32–19 for only their second victory of the season and the last until December.  Conversely, for Blackheath it was a rare reverse; they had won five of their first six games, and have gone on to win a further eight.  With thirteen wins from eighteen matches, they are well-positioned between Sale FC and Plymouth Albion.  This match is going to be a stiff test for the Billesley boys, especially as Well Hall has not been a happy hunting ground in recent years, the last victory there coming in 2022.  But recent form is similar, each side losing only one game in the last five, and Moseley have rediscovered the ability to win on the road, so who knows?

Star performer for Blackheath is hooker and captain Billy Harding, who has an astonishing 34 tries so far this season.  This is 16 more than any other player in the league, and puts him second in the overall scoring table, behind only Richard Hayes of Rotherham, most of whose 217 points have come from the boot.  No other Club player has more than nine tries, such is their focus on getting Harding over the line.  Moseley will have to be alive to the catch-and-drive and to other forward moves where he can be the key player.  Kicking duties have been shared around and Ed Dunford is best of the rest in the points table for Blackheath. 

With no match played, Moseley’s leading try scorers remain Ollie Stedman and Morgan Dawes with eight each, Ben Pogson with seven and Aquile Smith and Sam Clarke with six each.  Tommy Taylor leads the points tally with 54.

It’s a long journey to south east London and no supporters’ coach is running, so the team will have to rely on intrepid solo travellers to cheer them on.  Nonetheless, we can be sure that Well Hall will echo to the passionate cry:

“Come on Moseley”