Gloucester Premier

North Bristol 25 Cirencester 11

A DOMINANT second-half performance from North Bristol saw them run out 25-11 victors over Cirencester in this Gloucester Premier clash.

Ciren had been comfortable winners of the reverse fixture at home earlier in the season but on a blustery day, and on a very heavy pitch, it was the Bristol side who came out on top.

The visitors started brightly when Archie Doyle fielded the kick-off and stormed up the field to set up a try-scoring opportunity. This was halted when Ciren conceded a needless penalty five metres from North’s line.

Indiscipline became a regular theme throughout the game.

After exchanging early penalties Ciren continued to work hard and often got into a good position only to to lose the ball at the break down or give away a penalty.

North Bristol duly slotted their next opportunity before Ciren evened the score through a Charlie Marshall penalty.

The visitors were finding it hard to produce any sort of rhythm or continuity.

Just before the half-time break North created a well-worked try with Ciren’s tacklers failing to stop either the forward runners or the quicker wide men. They went in at the break 13-6 down.

The second half saw North take control of the game enjoying a vast amount of the possession.

The Ciren defence, although at times heroic, was under constant attack. Ultimately with so much pressure something had to give and North scored two further tries, one of them converted, to take the score to 25-6.

Cirencester’s Darren Moore did then score a try in the closing minutes but the conversion was off target.

Cirencester director of rugby Andy Deacon said: “I have asked the guys a lot of hard questions about performance, focus and discipline, and we will be analysing not only the game but also our individual commitments in a week of hard training.

“This Saturday we are on the road again to Frampton Cotterell. We beat them handsomely 44-5 back in November so see this as an opportunity to get maximum points and climb back up to the top tier of the table.

The recent abandoned home game between Cirencester and Cheltenham Saracens has been rescheduled for Saturday, March 12.