Stroud Combination Junior Cup Final Dursley 49 Cirencester II 17

Dursley's up and down season took an upward slant last weekend as the team travelled to the home of Stroud RFC to take on Cirencester in the Junior Cup final.

Missing a full strength squad due to injury and work commitments, Dursley set about their task with the backing of a huge crowd that had gathered to witness a feast of rugby.

With player/coach Simon Lane having set up a demanding warm-up, Dursley looked raring to go. From the first whistle the ball was caught cleanly, and two quick rucks later the ball was spun wide for winger Trevor Scott to score in the corner. The usually reliable boot of Lane missed the conversion.

This set the tone for the first half and with the back row trio of Perry, Nibblett and Brown working hard in the looses and the front five doing their bit in the set pieces, possession was retained phase after phase.

The next score was a trademark pick and drive over the line from Mark Perry, and this was quickly followed by the score of the half by the evergreen Stan Park. This score saw the ball passed through virtually the whole team, sweeping all aside to allow Park to squeeze over the line. Two more scores from winger Greg Allen and Simon Lane - the latter having one of his most influential games of the season - saw Dursley turn around at 25-0.

Coach John Tocknell's half-time team talk left everyone in no doubt what he required and Dursley duly delivered at the start of the second half.

Lane sprinted clear early on to score, and this time the kicking duties were passed to Tony Powell. In no time the veteran fly half had secured two more points.

With Nibblett and Graham Dakin totally dominating the lineout and the experienced front row of Allen, Darren Noble and Mark Stamp winning all of their scrums, the backs, through the superb linking of scrum half Shane Perkins and Powell, were able to run at will at their opponents.

From a typical Andy Jones burst through the line, the ball was recycled quickly allowing Melon to cross for his first try for the first team for some time. Powell executed the conversion.

With the score at 39-0 Dursley started to ring the changes - Perkins, Stan, Brown and Dakin made way for Rich Brimble, Alex Hyde, Sean Christian and Matt Bilous.

This move allowed Cirencester to gain some valuable possession and they duly took their chances, scoring three tries and one conversion.

However, Dursley never looked like giving up their advantage and with two tries from Nibblett and Bilous, both outpacing their opposite numbers to score, the game was wrapped up with Dursley the winners at 49-17.

The man of the match award, as voted for by the crowd, was given to Adam Siolo, making a welcome return to peak fitness.