FAIRFORD Seconds have booked themselves a date at Stroud RFC after a thoroughly deserved Bill Adams Cup semi-final win against Painswick rivals that never were allowed to show what they are capable of.

Playing up the slope in the first half, outside-half Bryn Jobling made sensible use of a strong wind and pegged the visitors deep in their own half.

With Tom Lovett winning almost every lineout, Fairford were able to run at Painswick and a clever dummy switch resulted in Jobling crossing under the posts for a try which he converted.

Skipper Little was having an excellent game and stole the ball off the opposition's sizeable prop just inside his own half before passing to Bowman.

The centre's deceptive acceleration took him past the first defensive line before outpacing the covering tacklers to score.

The conversion was missed. Biff was also having a strong game in the back row and, with Andy Knight hounding the visitors' scrum-half, a further score was inevitable.

This duly came when full-back Messer entered the line and streaked down the touch for another converted try. With the slope advantage and a 19-0 lead, Fairford were well placed at half- time.

But Painswick were determined a contest of it. Having narrowly missed a try through a forward pass just before the interval, they took a strangle hold on the game at the start of the second half.

Camped in the home team's 22 metres, only tenacious tackling stopped a score.

Painswick resistance was finally broken when prop Downey picked up a loose ball in his own half and raced away to score.

With the game secure, Bowman ghosted over for a further try for a convincing 31-0 win. Players and spectators are now looking forward to the final itself on a date yet to be confirmed.