Gloucester Premier League

North Bristol 27 Chipping Sodbury13

NORTH Bristol have not played Chipping Sodbury in league rugby since 2004 and due to match-rearrangements and recent weather they met for the first time this season on Saturday.

But North managed to grab a bonus point victory which has taken them to within two points of fifth-placed Sodbury in the league table although Sodbury have a game in hand.

Without a doubt, Sodbury were the biggest team North had faced in the league and, coupled with the fact that North fielded a small back-line, a tough afternoon looked to be ahead.

However, despite their weight advantage Sodbury could not cope with North’s attack when they upped the pace of the game and in the end North took a deserved bonus point victory over a strong opponent.

Sodbury’s power earned them the opening points when they scored from a pushover scrum after 17 minutes to lead 7-0 but North hit back moments later when Chris Underwood quickly tapped a penalty to put centre Nick Gait in under the sticks. Mike Lewis converted and it was all level.

North Bristol continued to try and run the much larger Sodbury pack around and from pressure inside the visitors 22 Lewis slotted a penalty goal for North to lead 10-7.

The Sodbury fly-half levelled things up with a successful penalty attempt soon after and the half looked to bes edging towards stalemate.

But Sodbury were penalised and North Bristol skipper Max Sheppard turned down an easy kick for the posts and went for the corner. The catch-and-drive looked as if it would pay off, but Sodbury dropped the maul metres from the line when a try was certain.

As a result, the referee was on hand to award North a penalty try which Lewis converted to give North a 17-10 lead at the break.

The start of the second-half was a tough, physical affair with defences on top.

Home flankers Underwood and Danny Williams’ work-rate was exceptional as was the defensive work of Gait and Mike Lewis in the centres, where they were tackling their opposite number probably twice their size.

North Bristol’s fitness began to tell as the match progressed, though, as Sodbury’s big men began to tire. A couple of catch-and-drive opportunities went begging for North but Sodbury were unable to clear their lines.

From a loose kick out from under their posts, Alex Cue collected the bouncing ball and ran the ball back from 25 metres for the game clinching try and a 22-13 lead with just one minute left on the clock.

North Bristol were not to be denied the try-scoring bonus point as after the restart a neat break from Lance Cassemis and pass by Lewis gave Gait the chance to dodge and weave through the tiring Sodbury defence to score North’s fourth try of the afternoon to seal a good win over a powerful Chipping Sodbury side.