DURSLEY RFC have created history with a stunning Gloucestershire Combination Cup final victory on Saturday.

They were not given a hope of beating newly-crowned Gloucester Premier Division champions Stroud in the big showdown at Cirencester RFC but they not only won but won well by a 26-15 margin.

And that secured an historic first ever win over their neighbours from up the road at senior level.

The victory has brought a massive and unexpected finale to Dursley’s season with head coach Alan Evans simply saying: “What a result!”

Dursley’s forwards set up the platform for the backs to tear into Stroud’s defence, and even when the opposition clawed their way back to within a point and threatened to make it one of those ‘brave loser’ days for the Gloucester One outfit, Dursley defended like heroes and came away with the shock victory.

Evans explained how the players hardly thought they could win the cup but just went out onto the pitch, gave it their all and caused one of the biggest upsets around the county this season.

He said: “It was great. It was the cherry on the cake and I didn’t realise how monumental a victory it was for Dursley.

“They had never beaten Stroud in competition at all and now they have taken the cup by winning against a side who regularly used to play Gloucester.

“To be honest, our boys probably didn’t ever question their ability but I did question their confidence. We went on social media on the morning of the game and geed the boys up to say just go out and give one hundred per cent. Win or lose, that is all we can ask for.

“The last two times we have played Stroud, we have almost been beaten up by them and they have been too physical a side for us.

“But our lads have matured a little bit and it was a totally different game to what was expected. Our players are a bit more streetwise than the last time we showed up.”

When it got to 16-15 in Dursley’s favour, Evans said it was crucial that his side kept their composure as tiredness could have crept in.

“When it was one point between us, then it was whoever scored next would probably win it.”

Flanker Simon Camm’s try and fly-half Grant Boucher’s conversion put Dursley 23-15 up in the grand finale but a long-range penalty from Olly Halford meant Stroud had to score twice – and they could not get there.

But the match was all the more remarkable because Dursley lost their inspiration skipper Scott Udal in the first two minutes when he broke his arm and dislocated his wrist. He was rushed to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital but, even while in severe pain in accident and emergency, Udal wanted to be with his team.

So much so that he forced Evans to let him listen to the last minutes of the incredible triumph.

The coach added: “We put Scott on loud speaker on my phone so he could listen t the last five minutes of the game – and we could not hang up the phone.

“When we won it, the players formed a huddle on the pitch. We put the phone in the middle of the huddle and all screamed ‘Yes’. Scott shouted back ‘Yes’ to them.”

Celebrations went on into Saturday night but the victory has done Dursley a power of good in regards to momentum to the next Gloucester One campaign.

Evans added: “You can see what we can do. If they played like that every week, we would have been top of the table this season.

“We have beaten the top of the table in the league above us. It has raised the bar for the club, the people there and the second team. They can grow as players now from here.”