BackOld Bristolians 1st Xv 34 Vs 24 Clevedon RFC 1st Xv
Anthony Dauncey8 Oct 2022 - 20:43
Clevedons power game not enough as they fall short in Failand
Clevedon travelled to Old Bristolians looking to improve on the previous weeks disappointing performance but knowing that the dangerous hosts were far better than their league position suggested.
The hosts started with a bang, their high speed possession based game plan stretching the visiting Clevedon defence and only a great last ditch tackle from Matt Fisher saved an early try. The hosts continued to press for the early score and after great defence the Blue and Golds were caught napping when a quick line out on half way created an overlap and Bristolians took the lead.
The young Clevedon side responded well to this setback, a great chase from the re-start created a mistake from the following scrum they set the tone for the rest of the day, a solid set piece gave Fisher the chance to attack the blindside forcing a penalty, Clevedon kicked to touch, won the line out and started to drive towards the line causing the hosts to collapse the maul illegally. Thomas kicked to the corner again the line out was won and after a couple of drives Brian Largenton saw a gap and Crashed over for his first try of the day.
Both sides were now playing good phase rugby , however Clevedons lack of patience was showing, often kicking the ball away or overplaying when ball retention was the order of the day and After the Visitors missed touch Bristolians showed how it was done, running through the phases and earning repeated penalties until they crashed over in the corner to restore there lead.
Clevedon turned back to their power game, a great restart from Thomas was pressured by Gates and Fear forcing a penalty , Thomas kicked to 10 yards out from the corner, Skipper Crew found George Angel in the line out the drive was set and Largenton touched down at the back of a powerful maul, Thomas added the conversion and 3 minutes after going behind it was 12-12 but that didn’t last for long.
It was now Bristolians turn to pressure a Kick off forcing Clevedon to spill the ball, old B’s soon capitalised on this swinging the ball side to side before outflanking the visiting defence to restore their lead. Clevedon again responded and turned over another re-start, this time they were patient moving the ball left and right before earning a penalty, Fisher took a quick tap and broke through before feeding Rudy Gates who was unlucky to be stopped just 5 yards out. But just five minutes later solid scrum allowed Clevedon to run a set play and good hands from Thomas, Harrison and Poulter released Mason Parslow down the left, the ball was recycled inside the 22 and Old Bs conceded a penalty, from the resulting line out Clevedon were held up however just two minutes later after repeated set piece penalties there was a case of Deja vu as Crew to Angel , Driving Maul, Try Largenton was repeated.
Clevedon should have gone into half time all square and full of confidence however with just 90 seconds to play after creating an overlap in their own half they again chose to kick possession away the home side countered and gained good field position and with the last play of the half scored the bonus point try to restore the lead.
HT – Old Bs 22 Vs 17 Clevedon
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Clevedon dominating the set pieces and earning regular penalties however some naive decision making saw Old Bs counter attacking regularly.
As the half went one Clevedon grew into the game, retaining the ball for long periods however too often the final pass went astray, or the young visitors kicked the ball away and it was against the run of play when Old Bristolians scored another counter attacking try from deep in their own half with 7 minutes to play.
It was do or die now for clevedon and with nothing to lose they threw everything at their hosts a great challenge at the kick-off from Will Egerton earned a penalty and Thomas drove B’s back into there 22, from the Line out the home side stopped the drive illegally and so the visitors repeated, with the maul heading to the line the home skipper stopped it illegally and the referee had no hesitation sending him to the bin, Clevedon opted for the scrum 5 yards out and got the nudge on and when the home side stood up the ref had no choice but to award a penalty try however much to the visitors surprise there wasn’t another yellow.
All the momentum was now with the young visitors, however with just minutes left and only 3 points in the game they tried to play from there own line and a mistake led to a turn over and the killer blow for the home side.
Clevedon will be gutted to have lost this game but are learning every week, we will be stronger for this experience and look forward to a chance to put things right at Cheltenham North on 15th October.
MOM – Three try Bri
The hosts started with a bang, their high speed possession based game plan stretching the visiting Clevedon defence and only a great last ditch tackle from Matt Fisher saved an early try. The hosts continued to press for the early score and after great defence the Blue and Golds were caught napping when a quick line out on half way created an overlap and Bristolians took the lead.
The young Clevedon side responded well to this setback, a great chase from the re-start created a mistake from the following scrum they set the tone for the rest of the day, a solid set piece gave Fisher the chance to attack the blindside forcing a penalty, Clevedon kicked to touch, won the line out and started to drive towards the line causing the hosts to collapse the maul illegally. Thomas kicked to the corner again the line out was won and after a couple of drives Brian Largenton saw a gap and Crashed over for his first try of the day.
Both sides were now playing good phase rugby , however Clevedons lack of patience was showing, often kicking the ball away or overplaying when ball retention was the order of the day and After the Visitors missed touch Bristolians showed how it was done, running through the phases and earning repeated penalties until they crashed over in the corner to restore there lead.
Clevedon turned back to their power game, a great restart from Thomas was pressured by Gates and Fear forcing a penalty , Thomas kicked to 10 yards out from the corner, Skipper Crew found George Angel in the line out the drive was set and Largenton touched down at the back of a powerful maul, Thomas added the conversion and 3 minutes after going behind it was 12-12 but that didn’t last for long.
It was now Bristolians turn to pressure a Kick off forcing Clevedon to spill the ball, old B’s soon capitalised on this swinging the ball side to side before outflanking the visiting defence to restore their lead. Clevedon again responded and turned over another re-start, this time they were patient moving the ball left and right before earning a penalty, Fisher took a quick tap and broke through before feeding Rudy Gates who was unlucky to be stopped just 5 yards out. But just five minutes later solid scrum allowed Clevedon to run a set play and good hands from Thomas, Harrison and Poulter released Mason Parslow down the left, the ball was recycled inside the 22 and Old Bs conceded a penalty, from the resulting line out Clevedon were held up however just two minutes later after repeated set piece penalties there was a case of Deja vu as Crew to Angel , Driving Maul, Try Largenton was repeated.
Clevedon should have gone into half time all square and full of confidence however with just 90 seconds to play after creating an overlap in their own half they again chose to kick possession away the home side countered and gained good field position and with the last play of the half scored the bonus point try to restore the lead.
HT – Old Bs 22 Vs 17 Clevedon
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first with Clevedon dominating the set pieces and earning regular penalties however some naive decision making saw Old Bs counter attacking regularly.
As the half went one Clevedon grew into the game, retaining the ball for long periods however too often the final pass went astray, or the young visitors kicked the ball away and it was against the run of play when Old Bristolians scored another counter attacking try from deep in their own half with 7 minutes to play.
It was do or die now for clevedon and with nothing to lose they threw everything at their hosts a great challenge at the kick-off from Will Egerton earned a penalty and Thomas drove B’s back into there 22, from the Line out the home side stopped the drive illegally and so the visitors repeated, with the maul heading to the line the home skipper stopped it illegally and the referee had no hesitation sending him to the bin, Clevedon opted for the scrum 5 yards out and got the nudge on and when the home side stood up the ref had no choice but to award a penalty try however much to the visitors surprise there wasn’t another yellow.
All the momentum was now with the young visitors, however with just minutes left and only 3 points in the game they tried to play from there own line and a mistake led to a turn over and the killer blow for the home side.
Clevedon will be gutted to have lost this game but are learning every week, we will be stronger for this experience and look forward to a chance to put things right at Cheltenham North on 15th October.
MOM – Three try Bri
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