An improved Richmond performance was not enough to secure victory against Lydney in a nail-biting finish at the Athletic Ground.

In drizzly conditions, both sides played a lot more open rugby than that seen in the dire autumn internationals, but neither side had a real cutting edge or did enough to lay a convincing claim to victory.

In the end, the game hinged on small mistakes at critical moments.

Richmond made a number of changes after the defeat at Shelford, in particular retaining the half backs Sean Flynn and Toby Henry who had finished the game well in a rousing last fifteen minutes.

Both contributed well as Richmond started brightly against their mid table opponents.

Lydney had their moments too and, surprisingly, missed an early opportunity to take the lead from a straight penalty.

However the opening score did follow ten minutes later and it was a breakaway try, as a Richmond attack broke down in unfortunate circumstances.

Luke Cousins attempted a grubber kick through the onrushing Lydney defence and the ball somehow popped obligingly into centre Dougie Freeman’s hands.

Freeman had forty metres to run but, with the Richmond backs all lined up in attack, he had an unopposed run in. Mark Davies added the conversion and an out of sorts Richmond had the very start they did not want.

Matt Hart had a chance to open Richmond’s score one minute later but a difficult chance slid past the posts. Both sides then suffered a yellow card as a general brawl erupted and most of the forwards joined in.

Rather arbitrarily, Tristan Wesley and Will Jones were picked out though neither appeared to be main protagonists. In the remainder of the first half Richmond had several chances to score as they established territorial domination and an edge at both line out and tight scrum.

But a decision to take a scrum rather than kick, when missing a second row forward, proved ambitious; a knock on and a forward pass cost promising opportunities; and Lydney escaped censure when Matt Hart was pulled down pursuing a kick ahead. At half time the score remained 0-7.

Within five minutes of the second half, Richmond finally scored their first points and it was an excellent team try.

Forwards and backs were both involved as Richmond retained possession well and probed the Lydney defence deep in their 22.

Finally Flynn worked a gap and a neat offload from Cousins set up Jason Phipps to score under the posts, Hart converting to level the score. A minute later Richmond had a long distance penalty chance and Hart’s kick managed the unlikely feat of bouncing down on the crossbar and not going over.

Unfortunately it proved extra costly as, minutes later, Lydney were back in the lead. Richmond knocked on in defence and the referee played advantage.

A lovely cross kick from Davies was inch perfect for the Lydney winger Charlie Vine and he brushed off the last Richmond defender with ease, Davies adding a crucial conversion.

The game remained firmly in the balance as Richmond continued to dominate territorially. First Hart kicked a long, straight penalty and then Richmond scored their second try.

A lovely straight break from Flynn set up the opportunity and Jonny Wehbe supported superbly at his shoulder to run a diagonal line for an excellent try, converted by Hart to give Richmond a 17-14 lead.

It was not going to be enough but another Hart penalty took the score to 20-14 and optimism increased.

Unfortunately the lead was only held for another five minutes. Richmond missed a chance to clear their lines, conceding a five metre line out.

What looked like a crooked throw caught the home defence strangely unprepared and flanker Will Jones touched down with relative ease.

Davies added the all important conversion and Richmond had ten minutes to turn round a 20-21 deficit.

Two clear chances were missed. With Lydney losing forward James McMahon to the sin bin, Richmond might have elected for scrums when offered two penalties wide out in the Lydney 22.

Hindsight is wonderful. But they opted to kick for goal each time and, agonisingly, Hart’s efforts slipped past either side of the posts.

With huge relief, Lydney finally booted the ball into touch and celebrated a hard fought victory, achieved because they took their chances.

Richmond can take out their frustrations next week at Barking against the in form league leaders (kick off 3pm). It will be an ideal moment to turn the season round.