Drybrook R.F.C. 13pts
Cinderford Utd 10pts
After a long wait of eleven years Drybrook have got their hands back on the Senior Combination Trophy.
On a bright, blustery, afternoon a crowd of over five hundred gathered at a resplendent Mannings to watch a tense final, where both sides defences were at their peak.
With the sun shining and the wind at their backs Cinderford kicked off playing away from the clubhouse.
The first ten minutes saw both sides testing each other out and although Drybrook looked the better side with ball in hand, mistakes at the line-out and silly penalties gifted Cinderford possession which they used to good advantage to pin Drybrook in their own twenty-two.
Drybrook countered this with a powerful scrummaging performance which set a good platform for the backs to work off.
With the first quarter played Drybrook were gradually building pressure and after a good catch and drive at the line-out Cinderford were penalised when their number six came in at the side.
The ball was kicked to touch on the Cinderford twenty-two. Drybrook drove on from the resulting line-out, but good work by the Cinderford pack held the ball up and they were awarded the put in at the scrum.
Drybrook frustrated that they had not made the most of their possession, destroyed the Cinderford scrummage, and were awarded a penalty which they put into touch on the Cinderford five-meter line.
Good defence and poor handling again cost Drybrook the chance of five points but they were however able to sustain the pressure and Cinderford were penalised for being offside at the ruck, allowing James Clancy to open the score for Drybrook with a well struck penalty.
From the restart Cinderford kicked long and were able to put Drybrook under pressure before young outside-half Joe Winfield was able to clear with a long kick downfield. The ball was fielded by the Cinderford fullback who thought he had more time available to him to return the kick. Danny Price was chasing on to him and was able to charge down the kick. before collecting the loose ball and racing away to score a celebratory birthday try to the left of the Cinderford posts.
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Clancy converted the score to take Drybrook into a deserved ten-point lead with six minutes of the half left to play.
Cinderford finished the half strongly and earned a penalty which they kicked to the corner. The catch and drive was well executed but Drybrook, with the robust Will Greenway at the fore, held up the maul and were awarded the scrum, from which they earned a penalty of their own. The ball was tapped and kicked dead behind their own goal line bringing the first half to a close with Drybrook leading ten points to nil.
Drybrook started the second half strongly and a good tackle by Sam Peaper gave the Green Army good ball to run at the opposition.
Mitch Renton burst through a couple of attempted tackles before the ball came back to Bradley Morgan, who made ground, before unleashing Ollie Moore on the right-hand side.
Cinderford’s scrambling defence were forced into conceding a penalty which should really have been kicked to increase the Drybrook lead.
Cinderford buoyed by Drybrook’s missed chance then started to play a more attacking game of their own. Firstly, they were awarded a penalty when it was adjudged that Drybrook had turned the ball over illegally, and then they got a penalty decision in their favour as the Drybrook prop, who had been in no trouble all afternoon, slipped to one knee at the set piece.
The penalty was converted and with ten minutes of the second half played Drybrook led by ten points to three.
A good chase and catch from Danny Price at the restart created more pressure on the Cinderford defence, leading to another Drybrook penalty in a kickable position. Once again, however, Drybrook failed to convert, and with the scores remaining close, the Drybrook support was starting to get a little nervous that their side had not taken the chances to widen the gap.
Sure enough, back came Cinderford and it was only stout defence from the Drybrook team that kept them at bay.
With twenty-five minutes of the second half played another excellent charge down led to Ollie Moore being able to break away, but as the ball bounced up in the dead ball area, he was unable to ground it properly, allowing Cinderford to clear form the twenty-two drop-out.
Bailey Watts was on the pitch to replace Peaper and was responsible for some trade-mark big hits on the opposition. Kyle Frowen having another storming game in the back-row turned the ball over allowing Mitch Baldwin the chance to attack down the wing. He was unlucky to see his kick ahead bounce the wrong way and go harmlessly into touch.
Drybrook continued to attack and when their captain Ben Large was taken out by a high tackle from the Cinderford hooker, Joe Winfield stepped up to nail the penalty and put his team an all important two scores ahead with ten minutes left to play.
Neil Morgan came on to join Bradley and make it the first father and son combination to play in a cup final for Drybrook.
Cinderford could sense the game slipping away and to their credit came back strongly. They were awarded a penalty at the scrum, despite being driven backwards, which they kicked to the corner.
They attacked from the line-out and following another obscure penalty they were able to score a converted try to set up a nail biting final five minutes.
Drybrook looked to be well in control but a break-out by the Cinderford winger led to another penalty in their favour. Instead of going for goal and trying to force extra time Cinderford chose to run the ball. A big hit Greenway and another turn-over by Frowen allowed Drybrook to clear the danger and celebrate the win that their overall performance deserved.
It was another great day of rugby at the Mannings and it questions why other clubs fail to support the Combination after all relying on their help at one time or another.
Ben Large joined the list of other Drybrook captains who have proudly lifted the Cup aloft in celebration, and Drybrook have something to show for a season in which they have toiled so hard.
Well done lads.
Drive on Dry!
Drybrook Squad:B. MORGAN, MOORE, PRICE, LARGE, BALDWIN, WINFIELD, CLANCY, BOURNE, FROWEN, PEAPER, RENTON, GREENWAY, SEVILLE, STRETCH, BEATIE, MARSH, WATTS, BOON, N.MORGAN.
