Dursley Rugby Football Club
Dursley R.F.C.
Registered as a Community Amateur Sports Club CASC since 2004
| 8 | - | 20 | Dursley DECODE ERROR |
The fog of battle....
After a break of almost a month Dursley continued their GRFU Development League campaign with a good win against a depleted Cirencester squad. On a very foggy morning in Stinchcombe and with Cirencester travelling with only 11 fit players, Dursley were very keen to get the game on. After a quick consultation with the referee, Dursley 'lent' 4 players to the opposition, and with the opposite touchline just about visible, the game got underway.
The first quarter was a tale of difficult conditions and rusty players. Balls were dropped and penalties conceded on both sides. After 20 mins Dursley burst into life; good line out ball from Tom McAleese gave Fly Half Jack Pinker room to run at his opposite number. A beautifully weighted pass put centre Fin McCubbin into a bit of space and he beat 2 men to run 50 metres toward the Cirencester line. A great tackle on his 22 by the full back halted McCubbin's break and in keeping with the theme of the half, the move broke down with a knock on on the floor.
With 10 minutes of the half to go Dursley opened the scoring with a Dom Webb penalty after a Cirencester infringement at the ruck. With half time looming Cirencester were level with a similar penalty at the other end of the field.
After a bit of a change around in personnel, with more Dursley players volunteering to play for the opposition, the second half kicked off and for a while it was more of the same. The foggy conditions weren't improving and neither was the rugby. But as the game entered it's final 20 minutes, Dursley found their stride. Good pressure and mauling from the forwards drove Cirencester back to their 22 metre line. As the Cirencester fly half cleared his line the ball went high in air and winger Perry Milan won a good aerial contest with Dursley volunteer Sam Skelton and ran in from the 22 to score a great poachers try.
Cirencester immediately responded with some powerful forward play . Dursley conceded too many penalties and Cirencester inexorably drove them back with the inevitable pushover try came to put the scores level.
But Dursley were not finished and responded well with some excellent forward work. An offside decision against Cirencester allowed Mike Johnstone to take a quick penalty and run in to score Dursley's 2nd try. With only minutes left, Dursley were now right on top. A great break from scrum half Cam Caddick fed prop Archie Holley who bullocked his way into the opposition half. He fed Perry Milan who stepped inside and found Fin McCubbin on his shoulder. McCubbin drove for the line and just as he was held up he popped the ball to centre partner Dom Webb who crossed for a brilliant team try. Webb converted and the match finished 20-8.
Coach Angus McCubbin said "We took our time to get into the game but finished very strongly demonstrating the sort of rugby that this group of players is capable of. Thank you to Cirencester for making the journey with only 11 and to all the Dursley players who played for Cirencester today".
