With the league title under their belts Pats kept their sights on the double as they advanced to the semi-final of the Papa Johns’ Community Cup with a convincing 9-try win over London-based Actonians to make it ten consecutive victories for the Cheltenham side.

With their trademark fast start, skipper Kristian Taft dummied and shimmied his way over in the first minute for a try converted by Sam Rhymes.

In a free-flowing and entertaining encounter the home side enjoyed the majority of early possession choosing to spread the ball wide at every opportunity and when Nathan Burtwell spotted a huge gap between the Londoner’s centres it was Rhymes who was on his shoulder to dab down under the crossbar.

Ever alert, it was scrum half Rhymes again who saw daylight down the blindside when picking up from a scrum and a 40-metre dash up the hill saw him outpace the defence for a fine individual try in the right-hand corner.

With the visitors offering very little in reply other than a strong rolling maul and a huge fly half boot, the Pats enjoyed a touch of champagne rugby with Jamie Thornley shining throughout with his mazy powerful breaks making good ground up the renowned Everest Road slope.

First choice number eight Charlie Maker was rested due to County Colts duties on Sunday giving way to uncompromising player-coach Chris Downes whose fine form defied his years as he dictated terms at lineout time, produced a couple of outrageous breaks and helped himself to a try from a lineout take & drive.

Using their superior weight Actonians hit back with an unconverted try from a rolling maul, but it was Pats who would have the final say before halftime when tighthead prop Joe Hart showed remarkable athleticism sprinting up the slope before releasing an intelligent inside pass for ever-present poacher Archie Long to score the easiest of tries between to uprights.

Rhymes nudged over the extras making it 33-5 as the referee blew the halftime whistle

Actonians started the stronger and another powerful rolling maul added some respectability to the scores with a converted try but with pace, all along their back line Pats looked like scoring whenever in possession and speedster Joe MacDean was too hot down the left side racing home from the hallway for a well taken individual try with Rhymes bringing up the 40 points from his boot.

The educated siege gun boot of Oli French was impressive throughout, fielding well and clearing the Pats lines when needed he frustrated the Londoner’s efforts to gain territory.

The ding-dong battle that persisted between Downes and the Actonians lock finally spilled over and both were shown yellow as tempers flared.

With an average age of 20 in their squad, mature Pats utility forward Fraser Goggin showed the youngsters how it’s done when he burrowed his way through Actonian’s huge pack for the first of what was to be a brace of tries.

With the game out of sight, the defiant visitors valiantly battled on to add respectability to the scores and were rewarded with two similar tries from rolling mauls narrowing the gap to 22 points. A combination of stamina and guile positioned Goggin in exactly to right place to receive a perfectly timed pass to race over for his brace, but it was to be the youngest player in their squad Johnny Fenley who was to round off a fine Pats performance with a typical 60-meter run in sealing the win, setting up what promises to be a thrilling semi-final against league rivals Widden Old Boys next Saturday 29^th at Everest Road.

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Norman Bell