Widden Old Boys 48 Dursley 21

AFTER their excellent win the previous week against Chipping Sodbury, Dursley arrived at Widden in good spirits.

Widden made the first score against the run of play when the ball squirted out the back of a ruck and a Widden player was first to dive on the ball. The try was converted.

Almost immediately though an excellent scrimmage 10 metres into the Widden half allowed Harry Lea to trouble the scrum half and Bradley Winchle was on tap to hack the ball through to score near the posts. The try was converted by Grant Boucher and it all was even after 15 minutes.

The next 10 minutes was nearly all Dursley as they penetrated at the base of the breakdown and good driving runs by the centre partnership of AJ Caddick and Jamie Hayward made good ground.

This was coupled with some excellent kicking from Boucher to the corners to keep the pressure on Widden.

However, the lineout was not functioning as well as it had been in recent weeks and the chances to score further were given up.

The pressure did eventually tell though and, after another good set of penetrating runs by forwards Jake Martin and debutant Jamie Lord, Caddick was able to make a fine run before offloading the ball to Damien Cummings, who touched down under the posts to give Dursley the lead.

Again the try was converted and Dursley were the deserved leaders at 7–14.

Widden came back though as Dursley took their foot off the gas a little and as the half-time developed they scored a penalty and then a converted try to lead 17-14.

Dursley were on the back foot now and repeated attacks by the Widden backs were defended well by the whole side but on the stroke of half-time Widden were able to extend their lead with a sweet chip and chase by the fly half to give them a 24–14 lead at the break.

Early in the second half some excellent work by Jake Ward and Simon Camm made most of the length of the pitch, only for Widden to be given a penalty for holding on.

Widden took a quick tap penalty and broke upfield. A fracas ensued at the breakdown near the Dursley 22 and Winchle, along with a Widden player, were shown yellow cards.

The hosts converted the resultant penalty and this seemed to break Dursley.

Widden then proceeded to run in three further converted tries before Hayward poached the ball on the Dursley 22 to break away and score the last try of the game, which was again converted by Boucher.

Dursley now have a week off before returning to the fray away to Gloucester Old Boys on November 15.