First XV v Tewkesbury First XV

Match Report

First XV v Tewkesbury First XV 28-10-22

A polished performance from the younger and fitter Pats showed why they are the league leaders in an impressive display of fast attacking rugby under glorious autumnal sunshine at The Moats.

With the breeze in their face Archie Long fielded the ball from the kick off and Pats mobile pack rumbled up the middle and it was Long again who found Josh Laurence who spun a pass wide to George Warley on halfway, his searing pace rounded the defence and with support from Joe Mcdean he backed himself to score in the first minute.

Tewkesbury’s powerful back row combination of Sam Colton, Liam Mellor and Tom Cane ate up the hard yards around the fringes penetrating the Pats defence. A typical Colton drive opened a gap putting Rolfe Alexander in between the posts converting his own try to take the lead.

With superior athleticism Pats pack were quicker to the breakdown forcing a high tempo game, winning ruck ball at ease and shifting the ball wide to their pacy young threequarters, entertaining the crowd with an impressive display of fast open running rugby.

Stealing line out ball Will Sanderson charged up field swatting of defenders with a powerful fend and from a maul close to the line it was loosehead prop Max Folkard who powered over from short range for the visitor’s second.

Tewkesbury’s James Watkins barged over from short range but this was to be their final contribution as a one dimensional use of powerful forwards became predictable and easy to defend.

The contrasting styles of play could not have more evident as Pats Josh Laurence swung the ball from left to right for his backs to reap havoc ripping through the Tewkesbury defence with a combination of pace and accuracy and when Matt Parker’s length of the field break put Ollie Stephens in it was 22-12 at halftime, but there was more to come.

Pats seemed to find another gear as the second half got underway and another Lawrence miss pass found Warley in space to outpace a beleaguered Tewkesbury defence for his brace, converted by scrum half Jack Donaldson on his debut. The new half back pairing gelled well as it was ever alert Donaldson again who raced on to a Lawrence kick ahead dabbing down and converting his own try taking the game out of sight.

Ever improving Charlie Maker was in fine form throughout with his trademark bulldozing runs and when he collected on the Tewkesbury 22 a charge reminiscent of Pats great stalwart James Pettigrew saw him powering to the line twisting and muscling his way over for a remarkable individual try and Pats fifth.