Clifton first half show enough to beat Cambridge

This thoroughly deserved victory over highly rated Cambridge better known as the Blood and Sands enable us to stretch our unbeaten home run in National Leagues to twelve.

There was no change in the league positions and we remain in 6th place and have completed our league programme against the sides above us with exception of the home clash with Canterbury and have 5 out of the nine games.

Director of Rugby Darren Lloyd described our performance as magnificent as we outplayed Cambridge in all aspects of the game except in the latter conditions when they had the upper hand at scrum time.

The game started on a firm but wet pitch with a strong wind blowing downfield but there was a spectacular hell storm which started as the players left the field at the break and sent the crowd scurrying for cover.

The Officials delayed the start of the second half but conditions changed with a wetter playing surface and a lighter wind.

The visitors had the better of the early exchanges but we built up the first serious attack when with centre Bill Meakes to the fore we put play through several phases before flanker Steve Oren went over from close range. Charlie Foley landed the conversion.

After eight minutes lock Joe Quinn charged down scrum half’s Ross Kevan box kick from close to the try line and following up touched down for the second try which was unconverted.

Cambridge came back into the game and put us under great pressure but as in the previous week the quality of our defence was impressive.

It only cracked once in the first half when Cambridge won a line out fifteen metres out and launched a driving maul which ended when hooker Ean Griffiths forced his way over.

The wind was so strong that England Counties Jim Wigglesworth conversion attempt was held up in the wind and fell short of the posts.

During the remainder of the half the visitors lost Callum Miller and Albert through injury to be replaced by Ben Penfold and giant prop twenty year old Bill Allard.

The opening period was dominated by Bill Meakes having his best game since joining Clifton.

In the forty fifth minute Clifton moved the ball wide from a scrum on the visitors ten metre line and Meakes injected pace into the move leaving several defenders in his wake before putting wing Ben Foley making his first start of the over in the corner with Charlie,

Ten minutes later Meakes made a line break splitting two defenders and swept past several would be tacklers before giving co centre a clear run to the posts for the bonus point try, Charlie again converted to give us a twenty one point lead’

The visiting pack then took control of possession but came up against a solid defence who had the ability to achieve turn overs at crucial times.

Allard began to impose himself at scrum time causing our pack to retreat and on occasions break up in disarray and also concede a string of penalties. The visitors constantly re set the scrum but eventually the referee awarded a penalty try which was converted.

The game continued in the same fashion during the final minutes with Clifton desparatley trying toslow the game down and keep play away from their own line. Eventually at another scrum the referee again awarded a penalty scrum and the successful conversion was the last action of the game and earned the visitors a bonus point try.

Darren was particulary pleased with the performance of his young back row of Fergus Manners, Josh Gifford and Uren who covered acres of ground both in defence and attack while prop Ellis Genge will have learnt plenty at scrum time as well as giving a valuable contribution around the field.

Our next game is away to Launceston. They along with Taunton and ourselves have yet to lose at home this season .