Proud Pilning come out on top in difficult Wotton encounter (From Gazette Series)

Proud Pilning come out on top in difficult Wotton encounter

Rugby Union Gloucester Three South Pilning 25 Wotton 11

PILNING and Wotton clashed on the opening day of the Gloucester Three South league season and it was the Severnsiders that emerged victorious.

The visitors went into the game with a huge number of key players missing through injury, suspension and unavailability, while Pilning were forced to include veteran prop Terry Short, although they did welcome back forwards Mark Gowler and Neil Pritchard.

The home side were the better team in the early stages, with hooker Craig Colquhoun in fine form in the scrums.

Pilning made regular inroads into the Wotton 22 and were eventually rewarded with the game's first try.

Mark Tudor took a good lineout catch to set up a rolling maul that led to second row Dave Warburton driving low and hard off the back of the maul to score under the posts. Phizzer Sterry kicked the simple conversion.

The score stirred the Men In Black into action and they camped inside the hosts' 22 for some considerable time.

The prolonged pressure told on Pilning and they were pulled back to 7-6 after Wotton's Rob Marlow slotted over two penalty kicks.

The home side were having the better of the play and forced the Men In Black to regularly kick for touch.

Unfortunately for Wotton they could not hold out until half-time as Sterry touched down to put his side 12-6 ahead.

Pilning attempted to exploit the favourable breeze in the second period and tried to put pressure on the visiting team all over the field of play.

A penalty by Dandy Duffety extended the lead to 15-6 and the hosts then went ahead by 14 points with an excellent try.

Ayden Sloman drew the Wotton defence before offloading to fellow centre Marten Ford who scored his first try of the season.

A further try from the quick-stepping Jason Celery, winding his way through a tiring defence, then made the game absolutely safe.

Wotton did not throw in the towel though and captain Tim Brown deservedly barged over for a try from a quick tap penalty.

There were no more scores in the game and Pilning secured the points for their league campaign.

Tomorrow Pilning visit Cleve (1pm meet) while Wotton take a trip to Dowty (1pm meet at the Star) in their respective matches.