CIRENCESTER, who play their rugby in a higher division to Stroud, progressed in this local cup game – but only just.

Stroud Combination Senior Cup

Stroud 22

Cirencester 26

Despite being the smaller and lighter pack, it was the Stroud forwards who dominated the loose and set piece and Ciren seemed to have no answer to the hosts' player-coach Sam Viggers who scored four tries and could have had more.

Stroud did not bring their kicking boots, however, converting just one of the tries in challenging conditions.

Cirencester did not help themselves when having two forwards sin-binned for repeated infringements in the first half.

But it was while Stroud were down to 14 men towards the end of the first half that the visitors were awarded a penalty try and then, on the stroke of half-time, they used clever angles to leave the Stroud defence flat footed when scoring their second try.

After half time, Cirencester picked up their game and, with more consistent place kicking than their rivals, capitalised on their scores to build a winning lead.