Ivybridge (home) 3rd January 2015

South West 1 (west)
south-west-1-results-graphicDrybrook 20pts
Ivybridge  28pts

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Second placed Ivybridge proved to be a well organised outfit whose better control and the ability to take the chances that came their way the difference between the teams at a wet and windy Mannings Ground.
The visitors showed no signs of the long journey affecting their game as they tore into Drybrook from the off and with 5 minutes gone they scored their first try. Continued pressure near the home line resulted in a simple pass to put a man through the gap to touch down near the posts meaning the conversion was a formality.
Drybrook were finally able to put some pressure on the visitors with 15 minutes gone and Tom Treherne opened their account with a penalty.
A foot rush caused panic in the Ivybridge ranks after 20 minutes but Drybrook made a mess of the resulting 5 metre scrum and the Devonians were able to clear.
Ivybridge continued to have the majority of good possession and field position with Drybrook reduced to sporadic attacks but after 33 minutes the visitors No 8 was yellow carded for killing the ball.
Even with a one man advantage Drybrook were unable to make any real impression and half time came with the visitors still in control.

Half Time:
Drybrook 3pts
Ivybridge 7pts

Drybrook prop Elliot White limped off at the interval after having carried his injury for most of the first half with Luke Fisher coming on as replacement.
An early penalty from Treherne gave Drybrook some heart but Ivybridge soon responded with a penalty of their own on 10 minutes.
Ivybridge then put together a good attack from deep and some quick recycling almost brought a try but Drybrook just held them up in the in goal area.
More pressure followed and a try eventually came on the overlap after Drybrook ran out of defenders.
Drybrook hit straight back from the restart when they won a lineout on the 22 metre line and drove relentlessly towards the visitors’ line. They were held up but were able to recycle and after a couple of players going close Fisher bundled over for a try and Treherne added the conversion to bring the score to 13pts – 17pts.
No sooner had Drybrook got themselves back into it a couple of unforced errors led to Ivybridge stretching their lead with 2 further penalty kicks.
With the game seemingly drifting away from them, Drybrook put in a big effort to reduce the gap but another error knocked the stuffing out of them. This time a wayward kick ahead was gathered by the home fullback on his own 22 metre line and he drilled a long kick deep into the Drybrook half where the subsequent dribble and chase resulted in a try in the corner.
With hardly any time left Drybrook’s day got worse when scrum half Mitch Baldwin was yellow carded after taking the receiver out in the air from the restart.
To their credit Drybrook did not give up and proceeded to put together their best passage of play in the whole game when they took play from half way and went through several phases before creating the space for centre Jack Simmons to score a try. Treherne converted and with it came the final whistle.
Hooker Mitch Renton was Drybrook’s man of the match but overall the home side will be disappointed with their performance. There were too many handling errors and they did not play the conditions well enough.
Ivybridge on the other hand had a better platform to work off and showed why they are in second place with better decision making and the ability to turn pressure into points.

Drybrook; Tom Treherne, Harry Gooderham, Kristian Taft, Jack Simmons, Connor Hale, Ben Large (capt), Mitch Baldwin, Mitch Hale, Mitch Renton, Elliot White, Marcus Cowles, Glenn Nott, Danny Price, Niall Gibbons, Mitch Bourne.
Replacements; Luke Fisher, Chris Rawlings, Dean Jelf.

Gloucestershire Reserve League Premier
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Gloucestershire Reserve League North 2
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