Tribute Western Counties North
Cirencester 10
Keynsham 7
CIRENCESTER earned a much-needed victory over fourth-placed Keynsham.

The game took some time to catch fire with both sides, having not played for a few weeks, guilty of silly mistakes.

With the cobwebs blown away Keynsham opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a well-worked, converted try, after controlling the ball at the back of a maul.

Cirencester responded immediately, the ball passing through several hands before Sam Hill found himself out wide to score the try, with James Fisher slotting the conversion.

Both defences had to be strong with Cirencester’s being given the sterner test. After several penalties had been given away the referee finally lost patience and yellow-carded Fisher with 27 minutes gone.

Keynsham tried to make their one-man advantage count but all their hard work counted for nothing as Ciren held firm.

The second half started in the same vein with the defences on top but eight minutes in Cirencester were awarded a penalty near the touchline for not rolling away.

Fisher stepped up and fired the ball between the posts for a 10-7 lead.

The Ciren backs were now starting to make inroads into the Keynsham half and a 40-metre break by Lamont and charges by Fisher and Lester-Powell should have put them further in front, but for some reason they choose contact instead of using the two-man overlaps available; coach Hammett was not impressed.

With 27 minutes gone in the half another penalty was awarded Cirencester’s way after a scrum had collapsed. This time Fisher was off target.

As the game came to a close it became disjointed with several knock-ons from both sides.
With five minutes remaining Keynsham had a good break and thought they had crossed the line only for a great cover tackle by Genillard and Lester-Powell which ensured the ball was not grounded.

Cirencester held on to claim the points which will help their bid to climb out of the bottom four.