Thornbury 2nd XV - 12
Old Patesians 2nd XV – 36
Old Patesians second XV continue their unbeaten season run with a strong display in a fiery contest on the road to Thornbury 2nd XV.
In dominant fashion, Pats again scored quickly. A quickly recycled kick off found space out wide, allowing Dan Burrows to break the lines finding Ben Tupper in support scored up the Thornbury Slope.
Heath Gunter collected the Thornbury kick off, which allowed Rob Collins to clear the Pats line from the restart. Pats now deep in the Thornbury 22 would experiance their attacking play for the first time. Strong defence in midfield from centers Bruce Crowly and Burrows caused the knock on picked up by Tupper he broke the Thornbury line offloading from the tackle to Burrows who was in under the sticks.
The Patesians defence was truely up the challenge posed by Thornbury, but again their indiscipline at the breakdown was costing them dearly. Penalty after penalty against Pats when in strong attacking posissions allowed Thornbury to clear their lines eventually finding their way deep into the Pats 22. The Pats lineout was in fine form this game. Locks Gethin Evans and Paul Bennett were able to steal ball against the throw, and recovered the ball at a vital moment. Confusion in the Pats backline caused a knock on giving Thornbury the scrum feed from which they built an attack causing a 3 man overlap and they eventually scored in the corner.
Old Pats unphased continue to exhurt their authority on the game. Powerful forward running from the Pats forwards constantly moved them up the pitch. Chris Dean eventually the decisive carrier, running the ball in from 22 yards out, breaking several tackles in the process.
With the wind in their sails Pats looked to play from everywhere, which sadly ended in a botched backs move, the bounce finding its way to the Thornbury fly-half. Who dispite the scramble defence attempts of the Pats backrow was able to find his way to the line. Ending the half 24-12.
Pats restarted the game, now with the advantage of the desceptive slope, looked to put the game to rest. Again however, constant infringements at the breakdown were costing them dearly and giving Thornbury a fighting chance and a fighting chance they gave.
By this point the game had reached boiling point with tempers flairing in all areas of the pitch. Thornbury failed to find touch and allowed wing Joe Ballinger to run hard lines and cut through the Thornbury defence. Putting Thornbury on the backfoot, created space out wide, Pats shifted the ball through the hands full back John Jeffries finding Tupper who scored in the corner. Again tempers errupted, the referee having to have words in captains ears. Scrum half Matt Mudway sinking the conversion from wide on the left.
More indiscipline again at the breakdown was the forever thorn in the Pats shoe. They were bought crashing to reality when replacement backrow Joe Spry was shown the yellow card for hands in the ruck and Pats would face the final 8 minutes with 14 men.
But undeturred, they continued to hammer away at Thornbury. Ever relentless defence was key again, Crowley was able to turn over the ball which was quickly recycled by the Pats forwards, creating space out wide, eventually finding Burrows again for his hatrick try.
This game wasn't over quite yet, and tempers continued to to simmer. The referee was forced to take control again. Showing the Thornbury captain the yellow card in the closing stages. Pats opted to kick for touch, and were painstaikingly close to the line again. Sadly the fast up defence caused a knock on, bringing the game to a close.
Pats will remain clear at the top of the Gloucestershire Reserve Teams Premier, and look forward to the next league game against Cinderford 3rd XV in a fortnights time.
Man of the match - Chris Dean
By Pat E Sian
