Moat men bounce back to end long unbeaten record (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Moat men bounce back to end long unbeaten record

Southmead 7, Tewkesbury 15pts

SATURDAY'S visitors recorded their first double of the season while ending Southmead's proud unbeaten home record that stretched back three years.

Tewkesbury were up for the challenge after lacklustre performances in their last two league games and they took the game to their hosts with some ground absorbing rolling mauls.

Only a couple of last-ditch tackles or players being forced into touch prevented the Moat men from taking the lead but they weren't to be denied for long.

From a line-out just inside the 22, the ball was caught and driven to the try line. It looked as if the hosts had stopped the impetus but No 8 Shaun Everis had other ideas and he peeled off the back and forced his way over.

Eddie Dawe converted with ease considering the difficult windy conditions.

Southmead were soon on terms when, again from a line-out, the ball was popped back down to the stocky scrum-half who exposed a gap down the blindside. The conversion levelled the scores at half-time.

Tewkesbury rallied after the restart and they were soon edging their way towards the home side's try line.

Good line-out ball was spun through three-quarters' hands where left wing Craig Steele turned on the gas and sprinted to the corner only to be ankle tapped just short.

However, fellow winger Chris Dean had followed the move across the field and Steele popped the ball up for him to dive over in the corner.

Tewkesbury were under the cosh for the next ten minutes but repelled the attacks with some bone-crunching tackles and superb flat line defence.

Eventually, They made ground upfield and were awarded a penalty in the middle of the pitch that Dawe sent between the posts to put the game beyond Southmead's reach.

Gloucester One (top)

P W D L F A Pts

Tewkesbury 13 11 0 2 248 148 22

Frampton Cott 13 8 1 4 226 155 17

Southmead 13 8 1 4 210 168 17

Ashley Dn OB 13 7 1 5 216 189 15

Widden OB 13 7 0 6 258 200 14

Bishopston 13 7 0 6 280 228 14

lA MUCH improved all-round display earned the Under-11 Tigers of Tewkesbury Rugby Club a 21-7 victory over Sunday's visitors from Old Pats.

Front rower Ben Grundy provided the strength that allowed the backs to run the ball regularly, while scrum-half Dan Williams posted his side's only score of the first half that ended 7-0 in the home side's favour following Jack Lampitt's conversion.

Old Pats came out strong after the break and they soon made it 7-7 but the Tigers weren't going to be denied a first win of the season and a late surge saw both Williams and Lampitt go over with the latter taking his tally of conversions to three.

There's a double-header on Sunday when visitors Cinderford will meet the challenge of the club's Under-11 and Under-13 squads (11am).