Drybrook 12ptsThornbury 19pts
Drybrook slipped to a very disappointing defeat at home to Thornbury where despite monopolising possession and territory for long periods they found it difficult to break through the visitors’ defence.
A lot of Drybrook’s problems were self inflicted with players ignoring men in space outside time and again as they overdid the route one stuff and on a number of occasions they chose to run some very kickable penalties which in hindsight could have made a significant difference to the result.
Thornbury made the early running but Drybrook soon turned things around and had a chance of a try from a quick tap penalty but flanker Danny Price died with the ball instead of looking for support.
A period of stalemate followed until Thornbury brought the game to life with the first try of the afternoon. Drybrook failed to defend a ruck on half way which led to the visitor’s scrum half nipping through the gap and several off loads later a try was scored under the home posts.
A better period followed from Drybrook with some good ball retention but they just could not break through Thornbury’s yellow blanket.
With 34 minutes gone Thornbury went 14pts – nil up with another try started from inside their own half. This time a few missed tackles created the space for the visitors to run in again from distance.
The remainder of the first half was all Drybrook as they battered away at the Thornbury line in an effort to reduce the gap. Unfortunately it was all too predictable and despite a series of penalties and lots of opportunities, including one massive overlap, they came away with nothing.
Half Time:
Drybrook nil
Thornbury 14pts
There was lots of intent from Drybrook early in the second half and following several lineout drives they eventually scored when prop Dean Jelf got the touch down.
Thornbury’s response was impressive with phase after phase of attacking that resulted in a try in the corner.
With the game slipping away from them Drybrook kept up the pressure on the visitors and were unlucky not to score when prop Mitch Hale was held up in the in goal area.
Drybrook kept kicking to the corner in an effort to drive over the visitor’s line again but Thornbury resisted everything that was thrown at them including illegally bringing down a maul which resulted in a yellow card.
Despite a one man advantage Drybrook still could not break through and wasted another golden chance of a try by hanging onto the ball instead of shipping it out on the overlap.
With the home supporters getting frustrated at Drybrook’s tactics they suddenly produced an unexpected try. A lineout 5 metres out was won and the ball was quickly passed back to hooker Harry Collins who raced through the gap down the short side.
Tom Treherne struck a good conversion from the corner to give Drybrook a losing bonus point and there was still enough time left for the home side to try and rescue the game.
Unfortunately they made a mess of the restart and it was Thornbury who were able to apply the pressure and they were held up in the in goal area at the end as they went in pursuit of a bonus point try.
This was a very disappointing showing from the home team who must learn to make the most of the opportunities they create. Others areas of concern were a creaking scrum in which they lost three against the head and some poor restart work which gifted the opposition territory and possession.
Drybrook’s man of the match was No 8 Mitch Bourne.
Drybrook; Tom Treherne, Connor Hale, Jack Simmons, Kristian Taft, Sam Peaper, Ben Large (capt), Mitch Baldwin, Dean Jelf, Harry Collins, Elliot White, Marcus Cowles, Glen Nott, Danny Price, Niall Gibbons, Mitch Bourne.
Replacements; Rich Cottrell, Mitch Hale, Chris Rawlings.
