Both sides observed a solemn minutes silence before kick off but the rest of the afternoon was anything but quiet. Last minute withdrawals due to injury and illness forced some late reorganisation but we still fielded strong side. The backs in particular had to flex from their usual positions and it looked a little unfamiliar.

However, it was apparent right from the start that we were more powerful with dominant scrums. The dazzling low sun made catching high balls tricky but once we got hold of it we played some great rugby. They had a couple of massive forwards but our game plan is always to move the ball quickly and we are able to string out the defence and spaces started to appear.

First score went to George after some nice offloading gave us good momentum. A turnover and quick hands found Ollie A in unfamiliar territiory on the wing but he drove over to score and was on hand again to take a scoring pass from Cam after a strong run at the heart of their defence.

Our confidence was high and we were handling and offloading like the Fijians at their finest. This time Matt Smith was in the right place when the gap opened and he was to score again soon after when a pre-planned backs move worked to perfection. Out flanking the perplexed defence, Matt went over in the right corner for a 31-0 lead at half time.

We had been playing uphill and after the break, with fresh legs and the slope to our advantage, the floodgates really opened. A pick up at the base of the scrum and slick hands from Freddy put the rampaging Callum in under the posts. Sam P took the kicking duties from Ollie F and continued equally successfully.

A momentary loss of concentration allowed Drybrook to wriggle over after a quick tap penalty but usual service was soon resumed. Sam P gliding over on a nice support line from A Sam H offload out the tackle. Our number 8 was having a field day making good ground with every carry and another move off the base of the scrum put Callum in for his second with a lovely step inside the desperate cover.

An intelligent kick deep into the drybrook half was chased down by a combination of Callum and Harry. The former with a neat pick up and inside pass, the latter with a dart under the posts.

That took to margin to greater than fifty points and under competition rules, the game was officially over. The opposition gallantly wished to continue to allow both teams more valuable game time.

Sam H was wreaking havoc from the base and this time ran the length of the field from a scrum against the head.

A fantastic break from Callum was hauled down just short but the omnipresent Lewis was, of course, on hand for the pop pass to go over near the sticks once more.

By now Drybrook should have realised kicking the ball to Mr Handley was a bad idea but still they took a dropout straight to him. A strong carry made space for Harry to score in the corner with Sam P slotting the conversion from the touchline.

By now they were exhausted and the defence non-existent. George rounded off a man-of-the-match performance by strolling over, untouched, for the final try.

Old Pats 59 – 5 Drybrook

Tom Perris