Cirencester put Bream in their place (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cirencester put Bream in their place

Cirencester RFC 1st XV 47, Bream 1st XV 5

THIS win saw Town remain atop Gloucester One on points difference and they exploded from the first whistle.

In the first two minutes, they won a lineout in their own half and a clean catch enabled scrum-half, Nick Duncan, to feed quick ball to veteran fly-half, Steve Thompstone.

An incisive backs move sent centre, Adam Seager, slicing through Bream's midfield.

He side-stepped the cover and raced to the corner to touchdown. The conversion was missed.

Playing down-slope, Town pressured Bream's strong pack and were awarded two penalties, which Seager converted.

With the sunny conditions and firm ground suiting their running style, Town added another try shortly afterwards when good handling from forwards Neil Bunce and Chris Thorn delivered the ball wide to flying winger, Charlie Whitfield, who easily cantered into the corner for another unconverted try.

Taking the ball into the heart of Bream's defence, stocky centre, Martin Crouch, sucked in about four of their defenders before setting up quick ruck-ball.

The ball was shipped wide to skipper, Shaun Marriott, who was caught short of the line but Seager was there to collect and score his second try, which he converted.

Town's concentration wavered just before half time, allowing Bream's fly-half to ghost past Henry Church for an unconverted try.

In the first 10 minutes of the second half, Bream constructed good phases but Cirencester's defence was solid and Town started regaining possession.

Crouch drove at Bream's defence, bouncing off tackles and throwing one-handed to Marriott who finished in the corner.

Cirencester's superior fitness told.

Following a well-worked move off the scrum's base, number eight, Bernie Davies, cut through Bream's backs for a solo try. Seager converted.

Another excellent backs' move, orchestrated by Thompstone, set the back line flying.

After looping around to the outside, Crouch received the ball and sped down the touch-line for a well-deserved try.

Cirencester were playing some of their best rugby this season, forwards and backs interchanging at will.

Starting a move on their own 22, they shipped ball to Whitfield wide on the right.

His pace and side-stepping were too much for Bream and he sprinted under the posts for his second try. Seager converted.

Cirencester coach, Myles Ferris, said: "We controlled possession and didn't kick it away as often as they did.

"We had good ball-retention and chose the right moments to go wide." This Saturday, Town will play Bristol's Southmead away.

Their next home game will be a top-of-the-table clash against Bristol Saracens on Saturday, February 11.