RUGBY: Cirencester keep up the pressure on league leaders (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Man-of-the-match Brandreth needs hospital visit after tough Ciren win

1:13pm Monday 29th October 2012 in Sport

Tribute Western Counties North.

Cirencester 39 Burnham-on-Sea 23.

CIRENCESTER kept the heat on the league leaders with a bonus-point win against Burnham.

Both teams started at a frantic pace with good offensive play being cancelled out by tight defence. Ciren’s James Fisher slotted an early penalty to settle the nerves and the lead was increased when a superb attacking line-out was set up by captain Alex Hammond, who burst through the defence to touch down.

Burnham clawed back nine points with some well-taken penalties and Fisher added a further three points to leave the home side ahead at the break.

Hammond said a few choice words at half-time as scores had been lost due to individual errors.

Early in the second half, Fisher cut through the midfield to score Ciren’s second and added the extras. Then came the try of the game; Joe Hammond kicked to touch and a good line-out set up an attacking maul which demolished the Burnham forwards. Luke Fisher touched down with his brother adding the conversion, much to the delight of the home support.

Burnham pulled a score and a conversion back but this was immediately wiped out after veteran Gareth Parry was judged to have been high-tackled in the act of scoring and the referee issued a yellow card to the Burnham full back while awarding a penalty try. Fisher added the two.

Some poor defence then let Burnham in for a converted second try, hooker Scott Brandreth having to visit hospital after a clash of heads in the build-up.

In the last play of the game, James Fisher burst through the defence to add a fifth score which he then converted.

MoM: Scott Brandreth.