CIRENCESTER, captained by Mark Stacey, retained the Stroud Combination Bill Adams Trophy in a well-contested match against Cainscross at Stroud RFC on Saturday.
The holders started strongly with good runs from their powerful forwards, John and Andy Milford, Roger Cass, Rich Williams and John Newman, but the Cainy defence held firm.
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The opening score came following a good passage of midfield play by centres, Dave Lewis and Giles Brockbank in tandem with Rob Wagstaff and Andy Ramsey and from quick ruck ball Nick van der Beaker Bassett scampered over out wide.
This settled the nerves but instead of trying to stretch Cainscross, Town's forwards initiated a series of rolling mauls which were easily defended by the physical Stroud side.
Late in the first half the game plan changed and Bassett started to probe the gaps with good support from flankers, Stacey and David Doyle. Cirencester had a number of five-metre attacking scrums which their tight-head prop, David Lloyd, exploited well and No 8 Newman got the credit from a scrum pushover. David Miles converted for a 12-0 half-time lead.
The second half opened with a good score out wide from portly winger, Dickie Hemming, following quick midfield passing.
Several Cirencester substitutions then effected the momentum of the game and, following an awkward long kick, Cainscross pressured the Cirencester whitewash eventually scoring a deserved converted try from a rolling maul.
The closing 15 minutes was all Cirencester with some cameo runs from Chris Priestner, Simon Collyer-Bristow, Tim Skelton and Taz Taylor.
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