WING Kieron Lewitt scored a hat-trick of tries to give the Cornish All Blacks victory in the Forest of Dean on the opening day of the season. The visitors scored two converted tries in the final quarter to overhaul a lead Cinderford had held for most of the contest.

Tony Yapp gave the Blacks a 2nd minute advantage with a routine penalty before home full-back Ali Bressington cancelled out his effort moments later.

A try for home hooker Nigel Matthews, given on the say-so of the touch judge, and converted by Danny Pointon put the home crowd ahead briefly but Lewitt`s first score as he linked with Luff and came in off his wing quickly restored parity.

A scrappy first-half was settled in favour of Cinderford as Bressington added a second penalty for a narrow 13-10 advantage.

Bressington`s boot increased the lead after the break as the All Blacks were penalised in their own 22, but the Cornish side stuck to their task and Yapp replied in kind after 53 minutes as good driving play by the pack deep in home territory drew a penalty.

With almost an hour played came the breakthrough the All Blacks had craved. Ed Lewsey broke in midfield and as Cinderford hesitated expecting a call from the referee for a claimed forward pass, Lewsey streaked past a pedestrian defence to set up Lewitt to touch down unopposed in the corner.

Bressington briefly restored a one point home advantage as his fourth penalty of the afternoon found the target but a moment of recklessness by home skipper Paul Knight then undid all the hard work. His careless play on the floor left him in the sin bin, and after an uncertain period of defence the All Blacks killed the contest.

With five minutes left Luff added a third try with another fine left wing break converted by Yapp. Then, as the match edged into stoppage time Yapp`s crossfield bomb found Lewitt who spun out of the flailing grasp of Alan Bryan and raced home for his hat-trick score. Again Yapp added the extras.

Cinderford: Bressington, Winterbottom (Bryan 74), Cumbers, Scourfield, Nicholls (Haile 79), Pointon, Knight (capt) (sin bin 64-74), Meadows, Matthews (Duncan 49, Matthews 50), Deacon (Kennedy 49), King (Bufton 56), Jones, Nicholls, McNeil, and Hall Replacements: Kennedy, Duncan, Bufton, Bryan and Haile.

Scorers – try, Matthews; con, Pointon; pen, Bressington (4). Yellow Card: Knight.

Cornish All Blacks: Roberts (capt), Luff, Westren, Lewsey, Lewitt, Yapp, Webb (Fabian 80), Mathias (Bolt 74), Semmens (Hurdwell 74), Pow, Jenkins, Chambers (Hilton 64), Lord, Rawlings and Hocking (Rawlings 78).

Scorers — Tries, Lewitt (3), Luff; cons, Yapp (3); pens, Yapp (2).