STROUD were full value for their win over North Bristol, who left Fromehall Park pointless for the fourth time in four attempts.

The hosts made the perfect start as within two minutes a blind side break earned them a converted try and an early 7-0 lead.

North, just holding their own up front, were no match for Stroud’s early play and on ten minutes a second home try saw them increase their lead.

North started to string some phases together and a penalty on 40 metres was punished by the boot of centre Dan Snow for their first points of the season.

The joy was short lived as Stroud scored a third well worked try of the half.

Snow’s second penalty success gave the visitors a lift on 30 minutes and then North Bristol upped their game.

Camped inside the Stroud 22 and often metres from the try line, North battered their hosts, searching for their first try.

The referee awarded North Bristol six successive penalties and one resulted in a yellow card but Stroud turned around 19-6 ahead.

The home scrum half was sin-binned in the second half for a dangerous tackle on winger Gary Charles.

North Bristol continued to push for the try but were denied yet again.

On 60 minutes Stroud broke out from their half following a North Bristol midfield mistake to kill the game with their fourth try and as time ran down they put the finishing touches on their first win of the season with a final try.

For North Bristol, young flanker Danny Williams impressed with his work rate and commitment and full back Liam Carr did well in his first league start for five seasons after a bad run of injuries.

North Bristol II 5 BAC I 17

Despite taking an early lead, North Bristol fell to a friendly defeat against BAC.

Both sides opened brightly but after the opening skirmishes it was the home side who opened the scoring with a try from skipper Phil Sterry.

After good work from Simon Nelmes and Scott Flannigan, Sterry’s brother Mark set up his supporting sibling for the unconverted score.

Five minutes later BAC matched their opponent’s effort after using the wind to press into the home left corner and Chris Gibson’s catch and drive earned him a try which Darren Russell converted.

As the half drew to a close North nearly scored when mercurial scrum-half Nick Tatum, in breath-taking form, dribbled from half way and then drove close without the necessary scoring support.

It was Tatum again a minute later who closed things out at the other end with a fine relieving kick as the pressure switched ends once more.

BAC were not to be denied as excellent driving play created pressure enough and a scrummage turn-over ended with quick ball right and a try for Jimmy Watson pushing his side 5-12 ahead.

Almost at once BAC’s Gary Chard scooted dangerously down the touchline before Darren Gillespie’s crunching tackle saved North’s blushes.

However, BAC’s flanker Robert Wilson soon marked his debut with a try to take his side to a deserving 5-17 lead.