Drybrook Rugby Club

Drybrook R.F.C 25pts
Old Centralians R.F.C 25pts

Before the teams kicked off a minute’s silence was held in respect of Mike Stomper Meek and Richard Mogsy Morgan Two greats of Forest rugby who sadly passed away before the beginning of the season.
Drybrook kicked off playing away from the clubhouse and immediately were on the front foot, they took play into the visitors twenty-two and were rewarded with a penalty for offside which Tom Treherne converted.
Old Cents earned themselves a penalty shortly after the restart and their ten slotted the kick to even things up.
The Drybrook scrum was in fine form and this set the platform for many of their first half attacks.
On eighteen minutes debutant George Paul showed wonderful footwork to leave the Cents bewildered on his way to scoring a try which Treherne converted.
He followed up his first try with another on twenty-six minutes after good play from the Drybrook forward allowed him the space to cross close to the posts.

Match sponsor Neill Ricketts, CEO of VERSARIEN PLC, presents Man of the match Cam Holenstein with a bottle of WOODSIDE DISTILLERY Craft Gin.

Treherne added the extras and Drybrook were well on top as they headed towards half time. Their first half performance should really have been better rewarded and they were unlucky to see Rhys Gardners effort held up over the line.
When the teams returned to the pitch after the break you could have been forgiven for thinking they must have switched shirts during the interval.
Cents were immediately on the attack and earned a penalty which they kicked to touch. A successful catch and drive saw them reduce the deficit by five points.
Drybrook did claw back three of those points when their pack pushed Cents off their own ball to give Treherne a shot at goal.
As the half continued you could sense the Cents team growing in confidence and on the twenty-minute mark their wing broke through a tiring defence to bring his side back to within a converted try of levelling the game.

.
Four minutes later a promising move by Drybrook was thwarted when they dropped the ball and Cents raced away to score. The conversion went wide and Drybrook held a slender two-point lead.
To their credit Drybrook rallied and forced themselves up field.
This time it was they who were rewarded by a catch and drive try and at twenty-five points to eighteen and ten minutes to play it seemed they had done enough to earn the victory.
Typical of the way the game had gone it was Cents who were to have the last say. The Drybrook boys looked out on their feet and the Cents backs combined to score near the posts. The conversion was good and the scores were tied at twenty-five apiece.

On reflection Drybrook will be pleased by the way their pack dominated the set piece with new prop Cam Holenstein putting in a man of the match performance.
All the debutants showed great potential with outside George Paul and wing Ryan Chapel in excellent form.
With a number of regulars soon to be available things look very good for the remainder of the season and on the whole a draw was a fare result on the day.

Drive on Dry!

Drybrook: 1. Dean Jelf 2. Ashley Howells (c) 3. Cameron Holenstein 4. Glen Nott 5. Cameron Cobbett 6. Bailey Watts 7. Sam Peaper 8. Joe Tingle 9. Tom Treherne 10. George Paul 11. Luke Roberts 12. Archie Saunders 13. Danny Price 14. Ryan Chappell 15. Rhys Gardner 16. Calan Williams 17. Ben Casey 18. Lee Wakefield