Thomas Hat-Trick Drowns Drybook

Drybrook were over powered by a Wanderers side who by their own admission never truly unleashed their full potential on a cloudy afternoon at Station Rd.

It was the Forest side who drew first blood with a penalty after Clifton had been deemed to have been offside at the ruck after just 6mins.

Clifton responded almost immediately with a quickly taken tap penalty by scrum-half George Thomas whose quick thinking allowed him to scuttle through the Drybrook pack to go under the posts.

It was another Thomas try that took the home side into double figures after some solid play from the lavender and blacks pack saw them win turnover ball at the scrum and again allowed the number 9 to capitalise on a gap in the defence.

Yet again ball turned over by the Clifton back row provided the start to a good display of handling by half a dozen players resulting in hooker Matt Saer going over in the corner to score his first try of the campaign.

With his older brother in the stand looking in winger Reuben Caven added to his seasons tally by finishing an 80 yard break started by centres Luke Blizzard and Jack Watters.

Drybrook maintained a solid kicking game but proved vulnerable on the counter-attack as Thomas again orchestrated his own line-break on the touchline and despite opportunities to offload chose instead to round the full-back and claim his hat-trick and the Clifton Sausage m-o-m award.

The half-time whistle appeared to come early for all concerned and as the floodlights illuminated both sides returned to the pitch demanding more of themselves.

Clifton's demands were met early when a gap on the blindside allowed top scorer Blizzard to blaze threw untouched.

The game seemed to lose its momentum it the third quarter.

Drybrook suffered from a yellow card to their second row for what the referee deemed as 'inappropriate use of the boot', but the visitors bravely held on to the key to the floodgates.

Prop Ben Christie finally found his running feet in the 50th minute and from one of his trademark breaks off loaded to Watters who this time chose to go himself to score.

Another bleak period of play was only ended when some sound phase play from the Clifton side again allowed the back line to fire the ball out to full-back Tom Bellak. The former Leicester Academy player took no persuading when offered the outside but the Drybrook winger and darted in from 50yards.

Drybrook refused to go into the night and after some well earned pick and go work their second row barrelled over to allow an easy conversion and at least put their innings into double figures.

Clifton flanker Henry Mace was forced to spend the final 10mins in the bin, but even down to 14 Clifton Fly-half Gareth Mason swiftly added his name to score board followed in the final seconds of the game by substitute back row Justin McInroy who after a rarity of a break forced his way to within inches of the line with defenders adorning his shirt and had the presence to mind dab the ball down with outstretched arm.

A 'job done' the Clifton side agreed, but a perfomance that highlighted key areas to work on in the coming weeks where both Cinderford and Dings lie in waiting respectively.

Final score 64 -10. The Wanderers March on to Cinderford next week in what promises to be one of their toughest games thus far.