South West One West

Thornbury 24 Drybrook 24

A HAT-trick of tries from Ed Sheldon was not enough for Thornbury to secure victory against Drybrook.

Despite not playing well, Thornbury felt a little hard done by having had a good try disallowed whilst Drybrook were awarded a controversial score.

However, Thorns were unable to match the consistency of the Forest club and could easily have lost in a poor last quarter.

They should have had five points but had to settle for three and a draw was a fair result between two evenly-matched teams.

Thornbury kicked off with a strong wind blowing across the pitch. They attacked early on and the backs created an opening in the visitors’ defence, which Sheldon raced through to score a seventh minute try. The conversion went wide.

After Drybrook had spent several minutes battering the Thornbury line, the hosts attacked again and Jak Evans burst through before being brought down close to the line.

He then reached over and touched down for a try which the referee erroneously disallowed for a double movement.

Instead Drybrook cleared their lines and after sustained attacking full back Kristian Taft scored the equalising try.

Drybrook's tails were up and a rolling maul trundled 50 metres to the Thornbury line and Ben Large crashed over for a converted try.

As the match approached half-time Thornbury attacked again and from a scrum five metres out Liam Pemberton put Sheldon in for his second try.

The conversion was blown wide and at half-time Drybrook led 12-10.

Thornbury began the second half with more purpose and on 55 minutes were awarded a penalty close to the Drybrook line.

It was quickly taken and Adam Hodgkins crashed over in the corner for a try. Matt Belbin added the extras from the touchline with a magnificent conversion into the wind.

Three minutes later Thorns attacked down the left and Sheldon had space to run in. He threaded his way between two defenders, handed off a third and had too much pace for the cover to run in his third try.

The try bonus point secured, Belbin converted and at 24-12 Thorns seemingly had the game in the bag.

Then the momentum swung to Drybrook. Thornbury lost a scrum close to their own line and No 8 Mitch Renton picked up but appeared to drop the ball as he was about to score. To the astonishment of all, the referee awarded the try.

Drybrook dominated the latter stages and as the match approached injury time Craig Clarke drove over from a lineout.

Alun Richards' conversion tied the score and Thornbury survived a tense final few minutes as Drybrook threatened to score again.

Thornbury played in patches at a higher tempo than Drybrook, but were unable to match the visitors’ intensity and ball retention.

Once again they let a decent lead slip and this needs to be addressed with some urgency.

Thornbury were unable to make their numerical superiority count when Drybrook had players in the sin bin.

Evans was busy whilst in the forwards Luke Workman and James Wood were prominent and Hodgkins took his try well.

Thornbury know they will have to up their game significantly for Saturday’s trip to table-topping Ivybridge, 3pm.

Thornbury scorers: Tries – Ed Sheldon (3), Adam Hodgkins; Conversions – Matt Belbin (2).

* Thornbury seconds suffered a heavy 56-7 defeat at Old Centralians in a game marred by a serious arm injury to Dan Isaacs.

However, the thirds enjoyed a 20-19 win over Chipping Sodbury seconds.

On Saturday, Thornbury seconds are home to Matson seconds, whilst the thirds are home to Cotham Park seconds, both 3pm.

On Sunday the Development XV are home to Bream, 1pm.

*Thornbury under-15s defeated Old Cryptians 60-5 with Louis Ogilvie scoring three of Thornbury’s 10 tries.