Rugby: Yellow card proves crucial in North Bristol defeat (From Gazette Series)

Western Counties North: North Bristol 15 Old Centralians 24

4:53pm Wednesday 1st February 2012 in Thornbury Sport

THIS game had everything that makes the Western Counties North League so competitive.

Accurate set-piece, phase play, great defence and some impressive tries gave the supporters an enjoyable afternoon’s rugby.

North Bristol were disappointed with the loss but Old Centralians deserved their win as they took their chances.

From an early penalty North kicked for the corner and a well controlled catch-and-drive lineout saw Chris Underwood claim the try. Martin Lambourne pulled the conversion but North had the early lead.

Two minutes later a big tackle from Underwood gave Lambourne a penalty chance, but he again missed his target.

He didn’t miss with his third shot at goal as Cents were penalised under pressure at a scrum and Lambourne made it 8-0 with the successful kick.

As the half neared its end Old Cents launched a wide move from a quick tapped penalty just inside their half, which ended with a try the corner. North led 8-5 at the break.

In the second half Cents attacked and when North flanker Underwood was yellow-carded they capitalised and scored a try to take the lead at 8-12 with the conversion.

Cents scored the try of the game as they launched an attack from deep inside their own 22 and with the conversion they led 19-8.

North didn’t give up and following a good scrum drive near Cents’ try line an Alex Cue blind-side break saw the outstanding Ross Wilson pass the ball to Josh Davies for the try. Lambourne hit the conversion and it was game on again at 15-19.

Cents sealed the win, though,with a late try.

North Bristol scorers: Tries – Josh Davies, Chris Underwood; Conversions – Martin Lambourne; Penalties – Martin Lambourne.

GRFU South One St Mary’s 2nds 0 North Bristol 2nds 22

If recent performances have not quite met North Bristol’s expected high standards, their winning habit not withstanding, they declared their intent from the outset of this match.

Tackle-leader Matt Bowden’s output was a fantastic example, while ace forager and hooker George Gibb gave his all.

There were strong ball carriers aplenty from Max Sheppard and Mark Smith to Tom Drury and Rob Collins.

Pace and determination was always evident out wide where Jim Hitchman and Antony Jelf were followed by the rest in turn.

That Saints never crossed North’s line was mainly due to resolute tackling led by Mike Cantin and Bowden, but it was North’s dominance at scrum and driven lineouts and mauls that eventually wore down their hosts.

North enjoyed much of the territorial gains early to pressurise Saints and made an early mark with a superbly controlled pushover try from Sheppard.

Phil Sterry’s conversion took them 7-0 ahead.

From a driven North lineout on 35 minutes emerged the battle-hardened Bowden with the try.

Increasingly dominant in the set pieces, North scored again as a driven scrum took them to the line, where Sheppard pushed his sided 17-0 ahead.

St Mary’s fought hard throughout but home hearts were broken when super-sub Ashley Milburn’s scintillating break connected with outstanding centre Hitchman, whose run burned the defence to the line to seal an excellent win for North.

It was their sixth consecutive league win over St Mary’s to confirm their return to form in style.

North Bristol scorers: Tries – Max Sheppard (2), Matt Bowden, Jim Hitchman Conversions – Phil Sterry.

GRFU South Three North Bristol 3rds 27 Cleve 4ths 10

A well contested game saw North beat Cleve.

No 8 Ian Kellaway’s driving play gave his team a real advantage. His first try came from a driven lineout for a 5-0 lead.

Cleve replied with a try of their own when No 8 Rich Poole broke blind from a scrum to score.

North Bristol largely held the attacking advantage from there on with a second Kellaway touchdown from a driven lineout.

Dan Harris’ conversion nudged North further ahead.

It was a measure of North’s potent threat that two other scores went begging when wide men Matt Lang and Aaron Markell both lost control when trying to touchdown.

Ironically the combination of the two did produce a score for Markell, Harris’ conversion making the score 19-5 at half time.

North pressed as Richard Foale and Ieuan Blackwell snatched a high Harris kick ahead and Hugh Barnes carried the ball to the try line for a 24-5 lead.

Ben Purdy induced an offside penalty from Cleve which Harris knocked over.

Despite a brief slip when Cleve notched a second try North held their defensive line to win a cracking match.

North Bristol scorers: Tries – Ian Kellaway (2), Hugh Barnes, Aaron Markell; Conversions – Dan Harris (2); Penalties – Dan Harris.

Friendly North Bristol 4ths 10 Yatton 3rds 5

For the first time in some years a fourth team was successfully turned out by North Bristol to herald great days ahead at this family club.

Yatton created the greater pressure early on but North, with Andre Samura, Martin Ford, Tee Nyandoro, Simon Nelmes and Matt Parcel to the fore, defended stoutly.

Some good relieving kicks from Pat Yatton at full back also eased the situation.

A rare sortie into the visitors’ half produced a penalty for North, which veteran No 10 Glyn Williams slotted with his usual consummate ease for a 3-0 lead at the break.

North Bristol began the second half determined with good runs from Ford, Samura and Simon Nelmes.

It was a Samura-Nelmes combination that produced a try for the latter, which the wily Williams converted, pushing North 10-0 ahead.

With defences on both sides dominating, neither seriously threatened until the latter stages when the visitors moved good lineout ball to midfield to score a try.

North Bristol scorers: Tries – Simon Nelmes; Conversions – Glyn Williams; Penalties – Glyn Williams.