CINDERFORD UNITED 57 OLD BRISTOLIANS 12
The United got back to winning ways in C1WN with a comfortable victory over an Old Bristolians side who contributed fully to an entertaining match.
Will Anderson opened the scoring with a try for the hosts, with further scores from James Kear, and a brace from scrum-half Sam Allford, who also kicked three conversions to make it 26-5 at half-time.
After the interval Kear grabbed his second try, with Sam Baker, Mattie Cotton and Ewan Gwynne also going over twice. Allford added three more conversions to give him 22 points in the match.
CINDERFORD STAGS 23 DRYBROOK UNITED 20
In a thrilling rugby encounter, Cinderford Stags narrowly edged out Drybrook United at the Bridge ground with a final score of 23-22.
The match was a display of determination and skill from both sides, but Cinderford emerged as the victors. Drybrook initially took the lead with an Andy Milner penalty, making it 0-3. However, Cinderford quickly responded with a brilliantly executed try by Tom Ward, exploiting the blindside after a driving maul. Brett Turner’s successful conversion put Cinderford ahead at 7-3. Turner continued to contribute, adding a penalty to extend the lead to 10-3. Drybrook, showing their resilience, fought back with a well-executed try, closing the gap to 10-8. Just minutes before halftime, Cinderford’s captain, Liam Littleton, found himself in the sin bin, but the Stags’ defence held firm, and they went into halftime still leading 10-8.
After the break, Tom Reynolds marked his season debut with a try, extending Cinderford’s lead to 15-8. However, Drybrook responded strongly, capitalizing on a charged-down kick to level the score at 15-15.
Ryan Walding regained the lead for Cinderford with a successful penalty, making it 18-15. But Drybrook once again came back with a crucial try, taking the lead at 18-22. In a dramatic twist, Tom Reynolds scored a late try in the corner for Cinderford, but the conversion was missed. Nonetheless, this clutch play secured the narrow 23-22 victory for Cinderford Stags.
This match showcased a strong team performance and marked the conclusion of the pre-season friendlies for Cinderford. The stage is now set for their first competitive fixture on the 23rd against Norton at Home.
Cinderford Try scorers; Tom Ward, Tom Reynolds x2
Conversions Brett turner x1, Penalties Turner, Ryan Walding