Drybrook United 23pts
Ross-on-Wye 1st XV 26pts
(after extra time)
A drop goal 4 minutes from the end of extra time finally swung this game in favour of Ross in this pulsating final in which the lead changed hands several times.
Drybrook United only have themselves to blame for not capitalizing on a dominant first half showing from their forward pack and should have had more points on the board by the interval,
Ross, to their credit, tackled and covered enthusiastically to make a real game of it and came back strongly to eventually land the silverware.
Andy Milner put Drybrook into the lead with a penalty after 10 minutes and just afterwards they missed the chance of a simple push over score when they completely messed up the opportunity.
It took another 10 minutes before Drybrook managed their first try and it came when No 8 Ashley Jennings made a lot of ground with a strong run into the heart of the Ross defence.
The ball was recycled and then whipped wide for winger Jack Freeman to scamper over in the corner and Milner added the extras to put Drybrook 10pts – nil up.
35 minutes in a strong driving maul brought a penalty for Milner but he was just off target and Ross were able to break out but a knock on halted a promising move.
Right on the stroke of half time Ross pressure brought a penalty under the Drybrook posts which Aaron Ryder converted to close the gap.
Half Time:
Drybrook United 10pts
Ross-on-Wye 1st Xv 3pts
Ross had the better of the first 10 minutes of the second half and they were helped by Drybrook who continually tried to run out of defence instead of clearing their lines.
This eventually back fired on them when Ryder intercepted a laboured pass to run in a simple try which he converted to bring the scores level.
Drybrook were pressurized into a lot of handling errors by some tenacious Ross tackling but they eventually regained the lead after 20 minutes when Milner put over a penalty in front of the sticks.
Then came the best move of the game when Ross won a scrum on the 40 metre line and quick hands led to winger Billy Hamblin scorching over in the corner.
Ryder converted to put Ross 17pts – 13pts up and they began to grow in confidence as the game entered the final quarter.
Drybrook threw everything into attack and were rewarded when they regained the lead when prop Mitch Hale was driven over for a try near the posts which Milner converted.
Back came Ross and 5 minutes from the end of normal time Ryder converted a penalty to bring the scores level once again.
In a frantic finale Ross were forced to defend desperately and Drybrook were twice held up in the in goal area as they searched in vain for the winning score.
End of Normal time:
Drybrook United 20pts
Ross-on-Wye 1st XV 20pts
EXTRA TIME
The first period of extra time was fast and furious with Ross having the chance to regain the lead but Ryder’s penalty kick was off target.
Drybrook’s Connor Hale was then late tackled after and up and under and Milner put over the resulting penalty to put his side into the lead once more.
Ross came back strongly and drew level once more when Ryder put over another penalty just before the break.
Extra Time Half Time:
Drybrook United 23pts
Ross-on-Wye 1st XV 23pts
The second period of extra time saw men on both sides putting their bodies on the line as they fought for supremacy.
It was anybody’s game but with 4 minutes to go Ryder’s drop goal put Ross into the lead.
Ross then showed tremendous energy to close down Drybrook at every opportunity and they were able to do enough to hang on to their slender advantage.
Ross skipper Casey Morgan was awarded the man of the match award before receiving the cup from Combination President Malcolm Dunn.
Drybrook United XV; Rhys Evans, Jack Freeman, Gareth Holdsworth, Simon Rugman, Connor Hale, Andy Milner (capt), Kieran Auker-Howlett, Mitch Hale, Dean Jelf, Huw Rimmer, Joe James, Glenn Nott, Jim Rugman, Mitch Browning, Ashley Jennings.
Replacements; Marcus Cowles, Tony Hussey, Dan Lewis, Anthony Suter
