Drybrook Rugby Club

Drybrook 1st XV
Drybrook 27pts
Weston-super-Mare 15pts

An impressive performance brought a bonus point victory for Drybrook at home to a strong Weston outfit.
Drybrook’s latest victory was built on solid teamwork, good fitness levels and a strong driving maul which caused the visitors countless problems.
Tom Treherne kicked Drybrook into an early lead with a penalty after the home pack had made inroads into the Weston defence and 15 minutes in they scored their first try.
No 8 Mitch Renton stole a Weston line out in the corner and crashed over for a simple try that Treherne converted from wide out.
Weston hit back after a period of open play with quick hands and pace leading to a try out wide.
Back came Drybrook and when they were awarded a tap penalty close to the line Jack Combes took it quickly and nipped in under the posts to make the conversion easy for Treherne.
Weston played a full part in an absorbing first half and were rewarded for their efforts after 30 minutes when they scored a second try when their centre took a short pass near the line before crashing over.
Drybrook had a good period at the end of the half but could not add to their score.

Half time:
Drybrook 17pts
Weston-super-Mare 10pts

Weston began to turn the screw 5 minutes into the second half and remained on top for fully 15 minutes before Drybrook were able to relieve the pressure.
As soon as Drybrook got close to the Weston line they scored again when Combes put impressive flanker Joe Tingle through on the angle for try number three.
Drybrook remained in control after this with some of their best rugby of the season and were unlucky not to score when a driving maul was held up in the in goal area.
The bonus point try soon followed when space was created down the blind side of a scrum to send winger Mitch Baldwin racing in at the corner.
Treherne’s difficult conversion bounced the wrong way off the cross bar and with only five minutes left Weston then gained control again.
Relentless Weston pressure was met with some equally good defence from Drybrook but with the last play of the game the sea siders nipped in for a consolation try to complete the scoring.
Combes and Tingle shared the man of the match accolade for Drybrook with No 8 Mitch Renton also impressive before he was forced off the field by injury.

Drybrook; Tom Treherne, Ben George, Sam Peaper, Ben Large (Capt), Mitch Baldwin, Aaron Ryder, Jack Coombs, Alex Gibson, Ashley Howells, Mitch Hale, Will Greenway, Glenn Nott, Joe Tingle, Mitch Bourne, Mitch Renton.
Replacements; Todd Clark, Chris Rawlings, Joe James.

Drybrook United
Drybrook United 37pts
Newent 2nds 5pts

United gave a powerful forward display in their first game of 2016.
The home team set the tone of the game from the start with the visitors first scrum being demolished.
The first score came from Drybrooks 10 Andy Milner who slotted a penalty. From the restart Drybrook knocked on to provide them with another chance to show their dominance in the set piece, from which a penalty was awarded to them for Newent breaking up.
This allowed Drybrook to attack from a line out which led to Scrum Half Keiran Auker-Howlett forcing his way through defenders to touch down, Milner converted.
With an almost identical restart, Milner was offered the chance to gain another 3 points which he took accurately.
Drybrooks eight Neil Morgan was controlling the pack well, taking the ball on at every opportunity, this led to a long period of attack by the home team, where four penalties were awarded in Newents 22 for scrummage infringements without a score.
Finally after a strong driving maul, flanker Jim Rugman powered over to score, Milner converted.

The turn around saw Drybrook playing down the slope into wetter conditions under foot. However this saw Drybrooks backs being unleashed with some great breaks from full back Rhys Bleddyn-Evans and the ball being sent wide.
This back play led to a centre Gareth Holdsworth darting through a ragged defence to score .
Newent dug in to their credit and defended well ,however Drybrooks forward dominance proved too much, with Drybrooks scrum and driving maul strength it was just a matter of time until their next score.
Rugman scored again after a driving maul, Milner converted.
Drybrook then lost concentration providing Newent the chance to gain possession running the ball out of their own half, to score.
This spurred Drybrook on again pressurising Newents defence, with good continuity, which set up a driving maul that drove from just inside the visitors half providing Auker-Howletts second try.
Finally Auker-Howlet was denied his hat trick after it was deemed not grounded.
Two players shared man of the match, Neil Morgan for his controlling influence and Second Row Alex Smailes who showed a great work rate throughout.

Drybrook Squad; H.Rimmer, D. Jelf, A. Suter, J.Pritchard, A.Smailes, J.Rugman, C.Parry, N.Morgan, K.Auker-Howlett, A.Milner, M.Watkins, G.Holdsworth, N.Lewis, J.Freeman, R.Bleddyn-Evans, D.Lewis, Craig Boughton,C. Moore, T.Hussey, S.Davis

Drybrook Extras
BerryHill Wappers
Drybrook Extras

Drybrook Extras match with BerryHill Wappers was cancelled as the Hillmen had to honour a rearranged league fixture.