Drybrook 15ptsClevedon 11pts
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Drybrook just got over the finishing line after a tense finale in which they had to put in a monumental defensive effort to keep Clevedon out.
Clevedon had the first half wind advantage and went into the lead inside the first minute with a penalty goal.
Within 5 minutes Tom Treherne leveled the sores with a well struck kick but Clevedon soon regained the lead with a second penalty.
Drybrook showed good enterprise for most of the half but too often the final pass let them down until the half hour stage when they scored their first try.
A driven line out in the corner was halted but continual pressure led to prop Elliot White crashing over to put Drybrook into the lead.
Clevedon ended the half strongly and were just off target with a long range penalty on the stroke of half time.
Half Time:
Drybrook 10pts
Clevedon 6pts
The second half began with neither side able to get on top but after 10 minutes a flurry of yellow cards changed the complexion of the game.
Two Clevedon players were sent to the bin for persistent offending and two minutes later they lost a third player to a yellow card.
This was quickly followed by a yellow for Drybrook’s Danny Price for back chatting but despite the 2 man advantage the home side failed to exploit it.
Eventually winger Cameron Roberts broke the stalemate when he scored a cracking try from just inside his own half beating several Clevedon defenders in the process.
Drybrook made a school boy error from the re-start when they attempted to field a kick that had not gone 10 metres and the Clevedon centre snatched the loose ball before cruising through for a try.
After both teams were back up to full strength play became concentrated in mid field for a long period but with 5 minutes remaining Clevedon threw the kitchen sink at Drybrook.
Only desperate defending kept them out and in particular Tom Treherne, Alex Benders and Jamie Cooke put in some crunching tackles to keep the visitors at bay.
Drybrook were relieved to hear the final whistle but are still not safe from relegation and need to win at bottom club Cullompton next week to ensure another season in this division.
Drybrook; Tom Treherne, Alex Benders, Kristian Taft, Jamie Cooke, Cameron Roberts, Ben Large (Capt), Mitch Baldwin, Dean Jelf, Luke Fisher, Elliot White, Will Greenway, Neil Morgan, Danny Price, Mitch Bourne, Mitch Renton.
Replacements; Chris Rawlings, Ashley Howells, Rick Cottrell.
