Kingswood 5 Dursley 10

Gloucester One

DURSLEY were hoping for a good result against Kingswood who were currently lying near the bottom of the table. The bright Spring sunshine increased expectations as the drying ground would allow Dursley to exercise their expansive style.

Dursley started strongly with an early penetrating run by centre Max Pullin supported by full back James Sheldon. Dursley continued to keep the pressure on and with 9 minutes played good breaks by Pullin and back row Tom Broomfield and Simon Camm set up their first try as the ball was spun out along the back line for winger Olli Halford to score in the corner. Fly half Grant Boucher was unlucky not to kick the difficult conversion into the strong wind 0-5. Minutes later Dursley were awarded a penalty which was too far out to attempt a kick at the posts. Kingswood upped their pace and only a good chase back and cover tackle from Broomfield prevented a certain score from a hack through by Kingswood. With 15 minutes gone good vision by young scrum half Jack Pinker and hard yards by Camm and prop Ty Chappell saw the ball pass through good hands in the back line for flanker Jack Robson to score in the opposite corner but again Boucher was unable to convert 0-10. Kingswood then entered a spell of sustained pressure inside the Dursley red zone but the defence held strong ending with a Kingswood knock on. Good tackling by hooker Alex Budd, prop Andy Plumridge and centre AJ Caddick stopped several attempts by Kingswood to break the line. Good work in the line out by second row Scott Udal and Jack Western kept Dursley in the hunt. Well into injury time Kingswood were awarded a try and the conversion attempt flew high in the following wind just skimming the outside of the upright bringing the half time score to 5-10.

Dursley started the second half in much the same manner as the first but Kingswood seemed to get the rub of the green. Dursley went through a spell of replacements after 10 minutes Harry Lea replaced Broomfield, at the 15 minute mark Simon Lane replaced Sheldon and a minute later Josh Case replaced Plumridge. Some long kicks by Halford kept Kingswood in their own half. More strong tackling by winger Damien Cummings, Lea and Boucher halted the Kingswood charge and with 10 minutes left to play Kingswood won a kickable penalty which went wide with the wind. Kingswood spent most of the final minutes in the Dursley 5m but good work on the fringes by centres Pullin and Caddick thwarted the challenge and the final score remained unchanged at 5-10.