Drybrook Rugby Club

DRYBROOK R.F.C 3rds 17pts
CINDERFORD R.F.C 3rds 7pts

The large crowd that had gathered to welcome Drybrook 3rds home after months on the road were treated to an excellent local derby between to very good sides on a wintry afternoon in the Forest.
The local paparazzi were in attendance as the sight of an away team turning up for a fixture these days is something so rare that it had to be caught on camera.
The young Cinderford Stags came trotting onto the arena like it was the start of rutting season, whereas the gnarly old Squirrels looked as though they were more concerned with hiding their nuts for the start of winter.
The captains met in the middle and the farthing was tossed into the air to come to ground in favour of the Cinderford team. The young Stags leader now unsure of what he should do sought instruction from his coach and mentor the old war horse Shane Ranford. Ranf instructed him to receive the kick and play up the slope, showing that age and a few knocks to the head had done nothing over the years to diminish his tactical nous.
Drybrook kicked long and the reluctant chase saw the Drybrook team try to contain the Cinderford lads who were intent on running from deep.
The opening exchanges were ferocious as the differing styles of play became evident. Cinderford were looking to use their pace to get the ball wide, while Drybrook were content to use their bigger forwards to carry the attack forward.
As intense as it was, it was obvious that something had to give, and on the fifteen-minute mark Cinderford created the space to race clear and score on the right-hand side. The conversion sailed between the uprights and the young Stags took a deserved seven points to nil lead.
Back came the Squirrels through their captain Big Ben Casey, who with his Dad watching on the side-line charged into the heart of the opposition.

His example was followed by Jolly Jamie Daunter who also made in-roads into the Stags defence to set up good field position for the Squirrels.
Cinderford did well to contain the initial Drybrook advance, but when play moved up to their five-metre line they were unable to stop Dean Jelf crossing the whitewash to get his team onto the score-board.
Jimmy the boot Ryder easily missed the conversion, but the Squirrels were back in the game at seven points to five.
The rest of the half continued in the same vein with Cindy looking to run, and Drybrook trying not to, in an effort to conserve their energy for second half.
Try as they might the Young Stags could not break the shackles of the Drybrook defenders and with five minutes of the half remaining Drybrook decided they had better up the pace in an attempt to gain an advantage leading into the break.
The leaping salmon Turk Turley was majestic at the line-out and brought the ball down for the Squirrels to set up a driving maul. Jelf sneaked onto the back and wrestled the ball off Richey Roberts to flop over the line for his second try of the game. Ryder again missed with ease but the Squirrels were buoyant as they headed into the break with a three-point advantage.
Half-time entertainment was provided by Smiler Boughton who enthralled the large crowd with his rendition of farmyard impersonations.
Ranf looked quietly confident as his Young bucks lined up ready to get the second period underway.

If the first half had been a battle of differing styles the second was just good old guts and thunder, with both teams stepping up to the plate in the pursuit of victory.
The Stags threw the kitchen sink and a few more utensils at the Drybrook defence in an attempt to regain the lead. Drybrooks rear-guard action was though something to be admired as time and again they repelled the young Cinderfodians.
With the half wearing on the big Drybrook pack began to assert some authority with Tom Smith enjoying a man of the match performance

leading from the front.
The Cindy team did all they could to try and claim the spoils but with Drybrook bringing on the experienced Johnny Jeffs playing in his fiftieth season of senior rugby and the tackling prowess of Jack the lad Freeman they could find no-way through.
It was in fact the Old Squirrels who were to have the final say. With time running out and the Cindy boys beginning to lose heart it was the irrepressible Tony Hussey who darted in from a quickly taken tap penalty to ensure a Drybrook victory. Jimmy the boot saved his best til last and sent the ball through the posts to a thunderous cheer from the far bank. Cinderford had one attack left in them but although they tried manfully the ball eventually came back on the Drybrook side and Ryder chipped it into touch to end a memorable afternoon of end to end rugby.
In the post-match interviews Ranf said he was pleased how his young protégés had fronted up, and despite the biased home referee, they had done their best and he was proud of every one of them. As a treat for playing so well he said he was going to take them to the Palace Cinema to watch The Polar Express and then read them a nice bed-time story before tucking them into bed with a nice cup of cocoa.
Ben Casey the Drybrook captain was over the moon with the victory and told onlookers that he was going to call the Euroclydon Nursing home to see if he could get special dispensation for his players to stay out a little longer and enjoy the fruits of their labour.
In the clubhouse the Man of the Match award was shared between Tom Smith and the referee and the singing and dancing continued into the early hours as is always the case when the Thirds are at home.

Drive on Dry and up the Squirrels!