DURSLEY RFC chairman Simon Bilous believes the first team are more than capable of competing against top opposition after they beat the odds for a second successive year and won the Stroud Combination Senior Cup.

Dursley, who are fourth in the Gloucester One table, beat Cirencester RFC, currently second in the division above them – the Gloucester Premier League – 14-10 on Saturday. And, with the third XV winning the Bill Adams Trophy by beating Minchinhampton second team on Saturday, it was double delight for Dursley.

Now the club are backing their second XV to get through their Combination Junior Cup competition – they play Cirencester seconds at Cirencester this weekend – to make it a unique clean sweep of trophies.The first XV’s victory over Cirencester, which was played at the neutral Painswick RFC ground, was all the more remarkable as Dursley had a number of players unavailable.

Indeed, Bilous said: “Of the first XV who took to the pitch, eleven of them came out of our mini and youth section and of the 22-man squad, 16 came through those sections.

“It just goes to show the investment everyone puts in on Sunday mornings (when the mini and junior section teams play) is paying off. Hopefully, it becomes a bit of a production line. A lot of people have put a lot of effort into this and now we are hoping to reap the rewards.”

Of the game itself, Bilous added: “It was not the highest scoring game but it was very close and we just got over the line to win.

“The really pleasing thing was that, on each occasion we have played in the final in the last two years, we have beaten teams who are at, or near, the top of the league above us and to do that shows we are a force to be reckoned with.

“The result was very pleasing and particularly that the forwards were magnificent throughout in the set piece and we got the deciding penalty try from a driving line-out .

“That is really good because it is a part of our game that has come on. Up front is not a place where Dursley are traditionally strong.

“We had a scramble defence which worked well so it was not just about the forwards.

“The players really played for each other and to limit Cirencester to only one try is credit to the way the guys performed.”

Dursley may well find themselves up in the Gloucester Premier League next season should a few things go their way in the last weeks of the season.

They are currently locked in a four-way battle for second spot, and are just two points behind Gordon League who occupy that position behind run-away leaders Old Richians.

The other teams in contention are Old Cryptians, who are a point ahead of Dursley in third, and fifth-placed Brockworth, who are one point behind Dursley.

Old Richians are guaranteed to go up but the way that the English leagues are structured means there is a possibility that the runners-up could be promoted as well. Brockworth could be out of it if they go down on Saturday to Old Richians at home.

Bilous said: “It depends what happens with the National Leagues as it cascades down on the leagues below.

“Sometimes one team is promoted and sometimes it is two. We will have to see how it all shapes up but it is always nice to come second or third in the league.”

Ironically, Dursley take on Painswick at home on Saturday and, barring a catastrophe against the bottom side in the table who have not won a match all season, they should take the points and put pressure on the sides above them.

But Old Cryptians are likely to put one over the bottom-but-one team Bishopston on Saturday which will mean a massive clash to end the season.

That is because Dursley will play Old Cryptians away in their last match which will be decisive as to their final positions of both sides.