Drybrook Rugby Club

Drybrook 14
Cinderford utd 3pts

With the Mannings looking resplendent in the August sunshine, in front of a large crowd, Drybrook carried on their preparations for the forthcoming season with this comfortable victory over near neighbours Cinderford.
In all honesty the score line does no justice to the amount of attacking rugby played by Drybrook, if it were not for the resilience of the Cinderford defenders and crucial errors at the wrong moments, the home team could easily have doubled their tally.
Cinderford started the game kicking off towards the clubhouse and were awarded a penalty immediately as Drybrook failed to field the ball safely.
The resulting kick was converted, Cinderford took a 3-0 lead and that was the last time in the first period that they were to cross the halfway line.
What followed was a siege like bombardment of the Cinderford line which really should have brought dividends.

Credit must go to Cinderford who defended valiantly and no matter how hard Drybrook knocked on the door they were unable to find a way of opening it before the interval.

The young Drybrook team could easily have become disheartened but this was not the case and they started the second half in the same manner as they had finished the first.
The introduction of Sam Peaper brought a different dynamic to the Drybrook attack and after a couple of decisive drives through the middle the ref awarded Drybrook a penalty for Cinderford attempting to slow down the ball at the ruck. The kick was put into touch for a Drybrook lineout throw just outside the Cinderford twenty two metre line. After the catch and drive was pulled down the ball was moved out to the backs and Mitch Baldwin came in off his wing to take the ball in the centre of the park and breeze in between the posts.
Stevenson added the extra two points and Drybrook were ahead 7-3.
Drybrook were soon back on the attack and a series of forward drives was finished by the

hardworking Will Greenway. Stevenson again added the conversion to take the home team into a 14-3 lead.
Drybrook were ringing the changes and this combined with more good Cinderford defence meant that the game petered out with no further addition to the scoreboard.
Overall, Drybrook will be pleased by the amount of possession they achieved and again the balance of the team looked very good.
They battled hard to break down a committed Cinderford rear-guard action and showed plenty of enthusiasm in all aspects of the game.
Their final warm-up game is scheduled to take place at Lydney’s Regentsholm ground this coming Thursday at 7:45pm and the players will all be vying hard to stake their claim for a starting spot against Exeter Uni in the first league game of the season.

Drive on Dry !