Gloucester Reserve League

Cirencester II 24

Widden Old Boys II 11

CIRENCESTER started their Gloucester Reserve League campaign with a well-deserved victory over a young, well-drilled side from Widden Old Boys.

The Cirencester side had a balance of youth and experience and despite losing three players to the first XV they had a full complement of players and reserves, which bodes well for the season ahead.

From a ruck in the opposition 22, prop Gareth Owen opened the scoring for Cirencester, dotting down under the posts. Stand-in kicker Matt Harman converted.

Cirencester did not let up with the back row of Chris Thorn, Pena Rayalo and Dan Carter making ground with nearly every carry, which allowed fly half Joe Hammond to run the game.

From one such forward drive by newcomer Phillip Morely-Jones, scrum half Andy Halsey darted under the sticks; Harman again converted.

A galvanised Widden reduced the deficit with a penalty but Ciren went in at the break 19-3 ahead after Hammond was stopped just short of the line but managed to pop the ball to Harman for the score.

Old heads Lloyd and Rich Williams steadied the ship in an error-strewn second half and helped regain some composure before Jamie Gordon-Walker was pulled back just shy of the line after chasing a fine kick.

The referee controversially did not award a penalty but from the resulting tap penalty the forwards again drove over with Dan Nicholl scoring out wide.

Widden continued to press Ciren who relaxed enough to allow the opposing openside to sprint 20 metres for the score.

In the last play of the game, Widden had a penalty in front of the posts which they strangely elected to kick bringing the final score to 24-11.