Clifton Wanderers suffered a narrow 17–22 defeat to Midsomer Norton in dreadful conditions on Saturday, with a number of errors and poor decisions ultimately costing Clifton the victory.

Clifton started brightly, with powerful ball-carrying from the forwards providing good field position inside the Midsomer Norton 22. Quick thinking and some nimble footwork from full-back Will Abel saw him step his way through the defence to score under the posts, with Harry Delaney adding the conversion to give Clifton an early 7–0 lead.

However, a series of errors allowed Midsomer Norton to regain the initiative, and the visitors responded with two unconverted tries to leave Clifton trailing 7–10 at half-time.

Clifton started the second half like the first with strong ball carrying and a dominant scrum. Then quick passing from the backs allowed right wing Sam Thomas to make good ground before an excellent inside pass found centre Billy Gardner, who crossed for Clifton. Harry Delaney added the conversion to put Wanderers back in front at 14–10.

Harry Delaney then produced an excellent 35-yard penalty into a fierce wind and driving rain to extend Clifton’s advantage to 17–10 and put the home side firmly in control.

However, for the second week in a row, Clifton allowed their opponents back into the game. Handling errors and ill-discipline handed Midsomer Norton valuable field position, and an excellent attack from midfield eventually created an opportunity for their outside centre to score under the posts. The conversion levelled the game at 17–17.

With just five minutes remaining, Midsomer Norton used the difficult conditions well, with their forwards powering over for the decisive try to make the final score 17–22.

A frustrating afternoon for Clifton, who showed plenty of effort and produced some excellent passages of rugby, but ultimately paid the price for errors and missed opportunities at key moments.

Clifton Wanderers, Thatchers Cider MotM- Jacob Head- Strong ball carrying from the back rower.

Try’s:
Will Abel
Billy Gardner

Conversion:
Harry Delaney x 2

Penalty:
Harry Delaney

THORNBURY 2ND XV 19 – 17 MISFITS

Clifton Misfits battled bravely through the hostile conditions brought by Storm Austen but were ultimately edged out 19-17 by Thornbury 2nd XV, claiming a valuable losing bonus point to remain top of Counties 4 South following other results elsewhere.

With high winds and relentless rain sweeping across the pitch, conditions were far from conducive to free-flowing rugby. The weather contributed to an error-strewn encounter from both sides, but one played throughout in excellent spirit.

Misfits coach Mark Nichols was forced into 11 changes from the previous week's side. Clifton were, however, boosted by the return of captain Beno Edwards and winger Mike Wyatt, while there were debuts for scrum-half Nika Kardooni and centre Miles Pearce-Lynch.

Thornbury adapted quickest to the conditions and dominated territory during the opening quarter. Employing an effective tactical kicking game, the hosts repeatedly pinned Clifton back in their own half. However, the visitors' defensive resolve was outstanding, with wave after wave of Thornbury attacks being repelled by determined tackling and organisation.

After sustained pressure, Thornbury eventually found a breakthrough on 23 minutes, crossing out wide to take a 5-0 lead.

The Misfits gradually worked their way into the contest and struck back just after the half-hour mark. In his first appearance since last season, Mike Wyatt marked his return in perfect fashion, finishing off a rare attacking opportunity to level the scores at 5-5.

The remainder of the first half followed a similar pattern, with Clifton's defence continuing to absorb long periods of pressure. The teams went into the break deadlocked at 5-5 after a fiercely contested opening 40 minutes.

Thornbury made the stronger start to the second period and crossed for a converted try shortly after the restart to move 12-5 ahead. Once again, Clifton found themselves engaged in an arm wrestle, with their defensive character repeatedly being tested through lengthy phases.

On the hour mark, the Misfits hit back. Following sustained pressure close to the line, flanker Archie Davis barrelled over from short range to narrow the gap to 12-10.

Five minutes later came the game's standout moment. Substitute Miles Pearce-Lynch, making his debut, announced himself in spectacular fashion. A kick through bounced kindly for the centre, who gathered possession and raced approximately 60 metres to score under the posts with his very first touch of the ball. Jake Wakeling added the straightforward conversion to give Clifton a 17-12 advantage.

With momentum now firmly with the visitors, the final quarter became another test of defensive resilience. Thornbury laid siege to the Clifton line, spending a prolonged period camped inside the visitors' 22. Despite heroic resistance, the pressure eventually told and the home side managed to force their way over before adding the conversion to retake the lead at 19-17 with five minutes remaining.

The Misfits continued to battle until the final whistle but were unable to find the decisive score in increasingly difficult conditions.

Final score: 19-17

While defeat was a frustrating outcome after leading late on, there were many positives for Clifton to take from a hard-fought away performance. The pack performed admirably at the set-piece throughout, providing a solid platform despite the weather, while centre Joe Glynne put in a tireless shift in midfield both in attack and defence.

Thatcher's Cider Man of the Match deservedly went to Archie Davis, whose immense defensive work-rate was matched by a crucial second-half try.

The losing bonus point ensures the Misfits remain at the summit of Counties 4 South, and attention now turns to next weekend when they welcome old rivals B.A.C. to Station Road for the first instalment of this season's eagerly anticipated Battle of Filton.

Tries:
Wyatt
Davis
Pearce-Lynch

Cons:
Wakeling

Photographs by Ian Clark

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