Ross on Wye – Trial – (home) 26th August 2014

Drybrook United 10pts
Ross-on-Wye 1st XV nil

A very tight first half ended nil-nil with Drybrook enjoying slightly better possession and territory but the Ross defence equal to anything that was thrown at it.
There were very few scoring opportunities in the first half and those that did come Drybrook’s way were spoilt by players hanging on to the ball too long or dropped passes of which they were many.
Things improved in the second half and Drybrook’s new No 8 Jose Kapilla was soon held up over the line. A minute later a penalty resulted and a quick tap led to prop Mitch Hale powering over.
Drybrook continued to have the better of things but could find no way through a stubborn defence.

With the game entering the last quarter Drybrook made wholesale changes to their line-up. A number of the 1st XV squad who had been training on an adjacent pitch came onto the field and quickly took the game to Ross.
The visitor’s upped their game and surprised Drybrook with a battling performance to keep them out and a couple of interceptions caused a few worrying moments for the home club.
However in the last minute Drybrook made the game safe when from broken play deep in their own half, Mitch Baldwin set off on a mazy run that resulted in Simon Rugman going in under the posts.

This was not a good performance by a Drybrook team that lacked the creativity to break Ross down. However Mitch Renton looked a real handful when he came on as did Mitch Baldwin, and Adam Swordy did well with a lot of the slow ball he received from his pack.

Drybrook United XV; Luke Roberts, Jack Freeman, Matt Freeman, Gareth Holdsworth, Alex Isles, Adam Swordy, Kieran Auker-Howlett, Connor Auker-Howlett, Craig Boughton, Mitch Hale, Joe James, Niall Gibbons, Tom Smith, Glenn Nott, Jose Kapilla.
Replacements; Tony Suter, Mitch Renton, Dean Jelf, Luke Fisher, Mitch Bourne, Lee Ward, Danny Price, Ben Large, Mitch Baldwin, Simon Rugman, Tom Treherne, Kristian Taft, Jack Wakefield, Alun Richards, Elliot White.