Wanderers Saer Off Severnsiders

After a narrow victory last week at Cleve the Clifton side were seeking an upbeat performance against a Lydney side whose away form belied their decent run of home wins at Regentsholme.

The Lavender and Blacks boarded the bus to Lydney without top try scorer Mike Cross and skipper from the previous week’s win over Cleve, Fergus Manners.

A few adjustments to the pack saw Matt Saer return from injury to step into the no.8 shirt whilst hooker Sam Evans took over the Captain’s duties. There was also a debut at loose-head for Bath University prop Tom Brown.

There were welcome returns also for talented young scrum-half Alex Haynes and second row Royce Chiddle after both had enjoyed lengthy terms with the 1st XV whilst Bandits fly-half Ben Breeze, fresh from his spell with the England Classics in Bermuda claimed the visitor’s number 12 shirt outside of returning top point scorer Luke Blizzard at 10.

Clifton sought to achieve a high tempo from the first whistle and were rewarded with a try after just 4 minutes from Blizzard himself who capitalised on some woeful Lydney defending to slither through what seemed like the entire opposition back line without being touched.

Lydney’s response was a series of long range kicks which steadily saw them progress into Clifton’s 22 and ultimately be offered a penalty chance at goal which drifted wide of the posts.

The visitors didn’t have to wait too long before their well-structured attack reaped another try, this time from the veteran Breeze who went over after flanker Matt Gibbs had done well to rescue a loose pass out wide.

The Lavender back line continued to threaten the hosts back three and some excellent turn over ball by Haynes allowed former Leicester Academy full-back Tom Bellak to break and feed winger Reuben Caven whose foot work took him around the Severnsiders own 15 to score under the posts.

Caven’s score was quickly added to as Clifton turned over more of the hosts possession and Haynes himself finished a neat move despite nearly being tapped tackle near the line and being forced to commando roll himself over to score.

Lydney were resolved to not finish the half without a final word and were deservedly rewarded with a try from their south sea islander centre who cut a well picked line through the Lavender back line to go over just before the half time whistle.

Clifton sought maintenance of discipline and structure as they went into the third quarter and their focus was swiftly paid back from the kick-off as Chiddle gathered the ball and set off into the Seversiders half seemingly untouchable to the home defence. Routed in the line Lydney forced the attack out wide where more clever work from Haynes allowed the 9 to fire through a well weighted low level kick along the touchline which Caven neatly collected to dab down in the corner.

Lydney again, spurred on by a rather partisan crowd clawed back another score, this time through their fly-half who spotted a gap in the un-marked open side of Clifton’s defensive line after the Severnsiders forwards had put them with touching distance of the line.

Clifton responded in kind and a well taken line-out set up a break for centre Jack Watters who again found Blizzard lurking in support to finish.

The home side then managed to retain possession for a significant part of the third quarter punishing the under-par Clifton scrum, but their frustrations at the lack of progress in Clifton’s half bubbled over into ill-discipline and dissent. After being marched back into their own half once by the referee it was only a matter of moments before Lydney were forced down to 14 men after a sin binning for back chat.

Clifton sensed the blood in the water and looked to kill off the game once and for all. After a loose set of kicks into the home side’s 22 the ball bounced kindly for winger Allen Williams who danced his way through three defenders to bring Clifton to a converted 50 points.

By 78 minutes both sides appeared to have had the energy drained from the by the heavy Regentsholme pitch, however second row James Brogden found one last burst of energy to stun the home crowd into submission as he broke from well inside the Lydney half to race down the touchline again untouched to score in the corner.

Final score 55 -14.

A pleasing response to the much critiqued post-Cleve analysis for Clifton, who many agreed must be congratulated most of all for their high level of discipline throughout the game.

The M-O-M award went to Matt Saer who’s picking up from the base of an often reversing scrum as well as a disciplined and determined shift at the breakdown allowed Clifton to often launch attacks they didn’t have any right to be making.

Next week the Wanderers host Thornbury at ‘Fortress’ Station Rd where the home side will be setting themselves a target of breaching the 500 point milestone after just 10 league fixtures.

All supporters welcome.