Chew Valley 9pts
Drybrook 26pts
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Drybrook overcame a difficult hurdle at high flying Somerset Premier outfit Chew Valley and now go on to meet Teignmouth in the next round.
The Chew Valley pitch was heavy under foot and very narrow but both teams made light of the conditions to put on a good show.
Drybrook weathered an early Chew Valley assault and after 4 minutes were awarded a penalty after a big forward drive took play to within meters of the home posts.
Mitch Baldwin put over the easy kick but Chew hit back with a penalty themselves on 9 minutes and then kept up the pressure on Drybrook.
With 20 minutes gone Chew Valley took the lead with another penalty after a strong scrummage had Drybrook in all sorts of trouble.
From the restart Drybrook regained the lead when winger Sam Peaper made a good break before off loading to scrum half Carl Moore who broke several tackles before touching down.
Drybrook continued to have the better of things and a few minutes later No 8 Andy Chesters broke from a scrum before sending Peaper racing in at the corner.
A minute before the break Drybrook put together a multi phased attack which skipper Simon Rugman finished off by crossing for his team’s third try.
Half Time:
Chew Valley 6pts Drybrook 18pts
Drybrook started the second half strongly with good break from Moore taking play right up to the home line but then a break out of defence almost led to a try for the hosts.
Somehow Drybrook survived but further pressure from Chew led to a penalty award which was duly converted to close the gap.
Chew Valley remained on top for 10 minutes but Drybrook held out and finally managed to move up field.
With 15 minutes gone Baldwin kicked a penalty for Drybrook after a line out infringement and afterwards neither side could make any inroads in the strength sapping conditions.
Drybrook’s best weapon was their strong driving maul and on a number of occasions they were just held out by the home team and then in the dying minutes they put the issue beyond doubt.
Following a prolonged period of pressure on the home line man of the match Carl Moore finally wriggled free to touch down Drybrook’s fourth try.
Drybrook team; Mitch Baldwin, Charlie Dagwell, Simon Rugman(capt), Luke Fisher, Sam Peaper, Chris Rawlings, Carl Moore, Nick Ovens, Mitch Renton, Tom Reed, Rich Cottrell, Marcus Cowles, Dan Price, Lee Ward, Andy Chesters.
Substitutes; Rorie Day, Craig Clarke, Tom Treherne, Neil Morgan
