Thornbury 25pts
Drybrook 37pts
Drybrook made the somewhat short trip to Thornbury for this rearranged fixture. With the mini beast from the east in full affect creating ice cold conditions and a place Drybrrok have notoriously found difficult to get results the green army kicked off down the slope with the gusty wind in their favour and determined to keep pace with Exeter at the top of the league.
From the off Drybrook were determined to keep to there expansive style of rugby moving the ball at every opportunity but in its way was a young , resolute Thorbury defense who in a few years time will be quite a handful. The away team had all the early pressure and it was against the run of play when the home team went 3 points up with a penalty after Drybrook were penalised at the breakdown. The lead was short lived as Drybrook were soon level thanks to a Tom Treherne penalty and only minutes later were in front when Ben Large ghosted through after some fine interplay with backs and forwards. The away team sniffed blood now and with Hale and Renton making huge inroads into the guts of Thornbury Glenn Nott was on hand to crash over near the posts.
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With 25 minutes gone Hale who was a one man wrecking crew all afternoon left a trail of defenders in his wake to score and put Drybrook 18 – 3 to the good. Thornbury responded immediately with another penalty and the rest of the half was spent with Drybrook attacking but unable to breach Thornbury’s line with the home team defending there line like Dervishers. However right at the death of the half, arch poacher Peaper was on hand to go over unopposed to give Drybrook the Bonus point score which was converted by Treherne who was having an unusually bad day with the boot in the blustery conditions.
Half Time:
Thornbury 6pts
Drybrook 25pts
With the slope and wind advantage in Thornbury’s favour they made clear there intensions with some astute kicking to the corners which was going to be the feature of the half. Drybrook had no choice but to keep possession now with some impressive handling in the cold conditions and were rewarded for
their efforts when Renton went over after an impressive drive to the line by Will Greenway.
Thornbury were not ready to go down without a fight and after kicking to the corner after a penalty and from the resulting catch and drive from the line out scored a fine try which was expertly converted from the touch line. Both teams attacked when given the ball but mistakes were starting to creep in to both teams play in the cold conditions but Drybrooks final try was scored by Greenway after another big surge to the line which was converted by Treherne.
The rest of the half was played out with Drybrook continuing to attack but Two interception tries by Thornbury left a scoreline of 25 v 37 a tiny bit flattering to the home side.
Another bonus point win on the road is nothing to be sniffed at with fine displays by Renton, Greenway and Nott but Man of the Match was undoubtably Mitch Hale who is starting to live up to his huge potential with a barnstorming display in both attack and defense.
Drybrook XV: 15.Hubert 14.Treherne 13.Price 12. Large(capt) 11. Baldwin 10.Stevenson 9.Marsh 8. Renton 7.Bourne 6. Peaper 5. Nott 4.Greenway 3.Boon 2.Howells 1.Hale
Replacements: 16.Guest 17.Jelf 18.Mullane
