Drybrook 48ptsNorth Bristol 3pts
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Drybrook have now made things really interesting at the top of the league by winning another of their games in hand with another try scoring bonus point.
The match was played on Hartpury College’s 3G pitch where the firm surface and perfect conditions for rugby suited Drybrook’s high tempo approach.
North Bristol started well and made a real mess of the first two Drybrook scrums before going into an early lead with a penalty.
Drybrook slowly got into the game and began to wear the visitors down with a succession of thrusts up the middle of the park.
A great steal at a maul on half way created the space for Drybrook to move the ball wide and centre Ben Large finished off a great handling move with a try in the corner.
Drybrook’s second try came from a poor North Bristol kick ahead which was gathered on half way by scrum half Mitch Baldwin who showed terrific pace to run in under the posts which made the conversion a formality for Ollie Clements.
Winger Kristian Taft looked electric on the artificial surface and he was at heart of a lot of Drybrook’s attacking play. From one such break he was able to off load to Clements who raced in under the sticks for try number three.
Clements converted his own try to give Drybrook a very healthy lead at the break.
Half Time:
Drybrook 19pts
North Bristol 3pts
Drybrook had the wind at their backs in the second half and soon had the visitors under pressure in their own 22 metre area.
A break down the blindside saw Ben Large and Ashley Howells combine to put Mitch Bourne through a gap and the Number 8 raced clear to score the bonus point try for Drybrook.
Drybrook did not let up but to their credit North Bristol defended stoically for a period but could do nothing to prevent the next score. From a scrum 15 metres out Bourne moved the ball quickly to Large who in turn put Taft over in the corner.
Taft was soon involved in the next scoring opportunity when he dribbled the ball practically the length of the field but just in the act of gathering before touching down he was undone by the bouncing ball.
From the resulting scrum however he made amends when he raced in at the corner and Clements added the extras for good measure.
It was relentless pressure for a period after this and winger Sam Peaper was next on the score sheet when he finished off another sublime move with a try under the posts.
Clements converted but North Bristol hit back at the restart with their best period of the game.
It was Drybrook’s turn to defend desperately but somehow they kept their line intact and weathered the storm before breaking downfield.
Drybrook’s last try came from replacement Chris Rawlings who was back in the 1st XV squad for the first time in months. The 41 year old cut a great angle on half way to receive a pass from Mitch Baldwin before riding three tackles on an impressive run to the line.
This was a very good performance from Drybrook who were well served by a number of players including Glen Nott who made his debut in the second row. Man of the match though went to Liam Jackson. The tall flanker was a tower of strength at the line out for Drybrook and the hard surface certainly suited his style of play where he was the quickest to nearly every breakdown and his support play was top drawer.
Footnote; Replacement Chris Rawlings said he felt 10 metres quicker after his first taste of the artificial surface in the pre-match warm up. He backed that up with a devastating turn of speed to score Drybrook’s last try.
Surely it is only a matter of time before McArdell and Stevenson have to consider bringing him back in to the starting XV?
Drybrook 1st XV; Tom Treherne, Kristian Taft, Ben Large, Dan Cox, Sam Peaper, Ollie Clements, Mitch Baldwin, Jun Sing Lee, Ashley Howells, Nick Ovens, Marcus Cowles, Glenn Nott, Dan Price, Liam Jackson, Mitch Bourne.
Replacements: Craig Clarke, Chris Rawlings, Simon Rugman.
