Captain Phil Moorsom won the toss and elected to go into the wind for the first forty minutes playing towards a Cluhouse brimming with a braying mass of supporters who had turned out to enjoy the weather, the rugby and the barbeque. As expected the sides were evenly matched. The first 15 minutes were littered with handling errors and repeated infringements. Cirencester did not make the best use of the wind at their backs preferring to spread the ball wide through their young and well drilled backs. The Dursley defence held fast but on two occasions the line was breached. With a ‘’two on one’’ situation Cirencester looked certain to score. However, Andrew Sharpe, at full back foiled both attempts with some intelligent and brave tackling. Cirencester kept up the pressure and Dursley gave away two penalties in quick succession in front of the posts both of which were converted.

Relieved not to have conceded a try the Dursley forwards rallied and pinned Cirencester back in their own half. A clumsy ‘tip tackle’ on Colts coach Tristan Moore resulted in rather a harsh yellow card for the Cirencester hooker. Dursley seized the opportunity and ramped up the pressure with some great carries from the forwards sucking in the Cirencester defenders. With space created out wide Ollie Winterbottom ran a jinking line from 30 metres and scored under the posts. Jedd Rowe made sure of the conversion adding the two points. The first half score 7-6 to Dursley.

With six substitutions made it took the Nomads a while to settle into the second half and it was Cirencester who bothered the scorers first. A lapse in concentration from the Dursley defence and an uncharacteristic missed tackle allowed the Cirencester centre to break the line and offload to a supporting player to cross the line. The conversion was missed.

Captain Moorsom rallied his players and that was the last time Cirencester entered the Dursley half. Chris Colston at fly half found his confidence with boot and made some incisive breaks putting the opposition on the back foot. The referee had enough of a very vocal Cirencester scrum half and awarded Dursley a penalty in front of the posts. Colston stepped up and gratefully took the three points. Continued pressure pinned Cirencester in their own half resulting in two more penalties in ten minutes. With the wind behind him Colston again stepped up and slotted them both from 35 yards out.

With the game slipping away, Cirencester began to lose their shape and discipline. Dursley’s accurate kicking and heroic tackling in the centres frustrated the opposition even more. A catch and drive from a line out 10 metres from the try line resulted in ‘new boy’ Ed Paddock going over for his second try in two games. The referee called an end to proceeding a delighted Dursley winners by 21 points to 10.

A great result for the Nomads but more importantly a fantastic game of rugby played in right spirit.