Rugby: Below-par North Bristol are crushed by Keynsham (From Gazette Series)

Western Counties North: Keynsham 39 North Bristol 16

10:38am Tuesday 20th December 2011 in Thornbury Sport

NORTH Bristol turned in their worst performance for some time as they came away second best at Keynsham.

Keynsham started brightly and scored their opening try after ten minutes but North did reply with a Martin Lambourne penalty.

Keynsham then scored soon afterwards, driving North back uncharacteristically in the scrum for their second converted try and North were trailing 14-3.

Lambourne slotted a second penalty after 20 minutes, a kick that took him over 1,000 points kicked in League encounters, but Keynsham were to reply with a penalty of their own.

Lambourne collected his hat-trick of penalties to make it 17-9 before centre Andre Samura was carried off the pitch with a leg injury.

In the second half North Bristol could not live up to their recent good form and only had a converted Chris Underwood try to show for their efforts in a very disappointing loss.

North Bristol’s players will now take a well earned rest before they start their assault on the league next year, and also have the Intermediate Cup clash at home to Chard to look forward to.

North Bristol scorers: Tries - Chris Underwood; Conversions - Martin Lambourne; Penalties - Martin Lambourne (3).

Friendly St Marys 2nds 15 North Bristol 2nds 44 Local rivalry between these two sides was such that the term friendly was not in the vocabulary.

Lineouts went well for the visitors as Tony Booth combined well with Dan Purdy and juggernaut Mark Smith.

It was from a driven lineout in the third minute that North’s intentions were made clear when ace-poacher Alex Featherstone emerged from the driven try as the scorer.

Five minutes later the sturdy back-rower charged in for his second.

Featherstone and his fellow back-rowers Purdy and Matt Bowden turned in an awesome performance throughout, both in the tackle and on the offensive.

Yet it was busy scrum-half Ashley Milburn who sparkled next when he straightened a drifting line to jink and cut to the try line, after which he converted his own touchdown, giving North a 17 -0 lead.

North’s defensive frailty let livewire Joey Attwell in for Saints’ first score but Purdy underlined his top-form with a strong 40 metre run to the try-line. Milburn’s conversion took the score to 5-24.

Bowden’s excellent support-work was also rewarded with a try after battering 20 metres to the line.

St Marys never gave up and Attwell returned to snatch his second try after good handling from his backs gave good position.

Beleaguered Marys benefitted from the presence of two loaned North players Rob Sansome and Tee Nyandoro, whose committed effort did them credit.

The try of the match came from the restart when young tyro Purdy received just outside his own 22 and his bullocking run right down the touchline had pulses racing. Sixty-five metres and three shuddering hand-offs later, Purdy had crossed the try-line, taking North to a 34-10 lead.

Wing Ashley Brown finished off some good work from Joe Mitchell for his try and great handling near half-way produced Fergus Manners’ opportunity to break and score, which he did with some alacrity.

Saints’ doggedness was rewarded at the last as Craig Capel broke through to touch down.

North Bristol scorers: Tries - Alex Featherstone (2), Dan Purdy (2), Matt Bowden, Ashley Brown, Fergus Manners, Ashley Milburn; Conversions - Ashley Milburn (2).