The final match of the season - Thornbury started positively from the kick off playing up the slope. The forwards rucked over the ball and set the backs away to put pressure on the Frampton line. From a 5m scrum, no 8 Bradley broke blind and was stopped short, but flanker Smith was on hand to surge over the line. First blood to Thornbury (5-0). Frampton retaliated with some expansive running from their backs  and  eventually caught Thornbury  shorthanded to equalise the scores (5-5). Fly half Jenkins was in inspired  kicking form consistently pegging back Frampton to the top of the slope with well placed kicks, followed by good chasing from the backs. Full back Moore fielded high balls well and often returned the balls with pace. The match was in the balance at half time with the honours even, but Thornbury had the advantage of the slope in the second half and that proved decisive.

Prop Ridge had a barging run to score under the posts which was converted by Jenkins (12-5). The Thornbury forwards battered the Frampton defence and the front row of Ridge, Finch and Yeates dominated the scrums with locks Wideatt and Ash providing the power . With Frampton starved of the ball the Thornbury backs linked well in midfield through Jenkins and  Edgar before centre Troughtman put in a strong run through the Frampton centre to score, again converted by Jenkins (19-5). Scrum half Carter was next to score using a  dazzling sidestep and fast pace to round the defence out wide (24-5). Thornbury were in complete ascendancy and centre Downman was to strong to catch and scored under the posts (29-5). Frampton competed well throughout and gained a good possession to use their quick backs to attack down the wing to score a converted try (29-12). Carter once again spotted an undefended side to the maul and darted clear to score from the half way line (36-12). The final score went to Yeates who powered through the demoralised defence to score (43-12). Jenkins converted the last 2 tries.                                                                               Link for photos  

After a few weeks without a match the Thornbury side were keen to progress further into the plate competition but had a tough Painswick side to overcome. Thornbury had not beaten Painswick in previous years, and all bar one contest had been extremely close. This was a tight match played on a wet windy day on a sloping pitch and was a game dominated by the forwards. Painswick had first advantage of the slope and led at half time, having nosed ahead with a sprightly three-quarter move which saw them score for an unconverted try in the corner. Thornbury defended well and had a couple of brief attacks but the only opportunity to score from a penalty went wide. In the second half the play was largely restricted to the Painswick half with Thornbury pressing. Thornbury consistently won the scrums with several against the head, but Painswick were able to hold on to possession due to their dominance of the lineout. Scrum half Carter equalized the scores after no 8 Bradley broke from a 5m scrum to feed his colleague who sidestepped e the defender to score. Thornbury banged away at Painswick but their defence was resolute. Some poor decision making cost the home side, when they tapped an eminently kickable penalty, and the tried to kick a penalty  awarded only a short distance from the goal line. Painswick go through to the next round being the away team in a draw, leaving Thornbury to comprehend what ought to have been.                                                                                                                    Link for photos  

Thornbury started the game playing uphill and were soon to take an early lead - fly half  Jenkins kicked ahead, then gathered his own kick to feed centre Downman who passed  to winger Troughtman to score, a try converted by Mallard (7-0). Yatton came back strongly and with the slope in their favour put a crisp three quarter movement together to outstretch Thornbury's cover to score an unconverted try at the corner flag (7-5). The match was evenly contested into the second half when Thornbury move up a gear to dominate the match. A lightening break from scrum half Carter saw him outpace the Yatton backs to score in the corner (12-5). Shortly afterwards Smith robbed the Yatton scrumhalf, and  fed Carter who again got around the Yatton defence to set up a try  for winger  Edgar (19-5). The Thornbury forwards rucked and mauled  consistently winning possession with Jones, Ash, Ridge and Wideatt to the fore, well supported by astute kicking from fly half Jenkins. Yeates was next to score, switching from the front row to number 8, he crashed over the line from a 5 metre scrum, again converted by Mallard (26-5). Flanker Smith once again was the thorn in Yatton side when he pounced on a loose ball from a scrum and ran with determination, shrugging off a couple of tackles to score under the posts (33-5). The  final score was when fullback Moore, who consistently fielded the high balls and ran the ball back well, overlapped on the wing to score after a good Thornbury backs move (38-5). Mallard produced a fine goal kicking display slotting all 6 conversions from all over the pitch.

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Thornbury clawed back a 19-0 half time deficit, reminiscent of The Wales - England match, to draw the match. At three tries down the match appeared to have slipped away, but playing with the slope, flyhalf Jenkins astute line kicking gained the territory for Thornbury to play the match in the Cirencester half. Scrum half Carter darted away from a set scrum and was too determined for the Cirencester defence and scored underneath the posts, a try converted by Jenkins. The Thornbury team started to believe and their supporters rallied behind the team. Cirencester gave away a few penalties and from one, prop Yeates used his strength to bulldoze his way of the line to score, again converted by Jenkins. The momentum had turned and such was the pressure on Cirencester, they fumbled the ball on their own line and Jenkins was quick to pounce on the loose ball to tie the score, but was not able to convert. The team was bereft of some normal starters and a few players were playing out of position. Coach Whittingham was understandably pleased with the result and especially for success of the normally supporting players. 

Thornbury opened their Gloucester Cup fixture list with a controlled victory against a spirited Old Pats side. Jenkins opened the scoring with a penalty and  from there, Thornbury always seemed to be in control. The forwards rucked and mauled well and with Jenkins astutely kicking for position, Old Pats were on the back foot.  From a Jenkins up and under, Garland followed up to collect the ball first bounce to score under the posts, a try  converted by Jenkins (10-0). It was Garland again with the second score - crisp handing in the backs allowed winger  time to weave through a couple of tackles and cross over at the corner and then touchdown under the posts for an easy conversion from Jenkins (17-0). In the second half, the Thornbury  props of Yeates and Jones dominated the scrums and with Windeatt claiming possession in the lineout, the backs were given plenty of possession and  centres Mallard and Dixon were able run freely. Old Pats tackled well and thwarted Thornbury on several occasions but Jenkins found room down the touckline to score for an unconverted try at the corner flag(17-0). The Thornbury back row of Smith , Whittingham and Bradley were quick to stifle any Old Pats possession and it was fitting that Windeatt, capping a fine game in the second row, bullocked over from short range for the final score (27-0) 

                 No Report - our score was a Jenkins penalty

Coming soon

Having won through tom the first round of the Bristol Combination Cup, Thornbury came unstuck against a well drilled Chew Valley side that possessed the best player on the pitch at full back. Chew got off to a quick start and were 7-0 up when the Thornbury backs were caught out of position. Thornbury levelled the score when Luke Mallard’s curved run took him around the defence down the wing to subsequently score under the posts for an easy conversion by Jenkins. Chew went further ahead before Thornbury’s Robbie Garland’s incisive run  saw him dot the ball between the posts, again converted by Jenkins. Chew were deservedly ahead 19-14 at the end of the half.

Thornbury had the advantage of the pitch slope in the second half but dogged Chew defence confined most of the play to midfield. Both teams scored tries, with Thornbury flanker Jamie Smith pouncing on a loose ball to surge over from  5 metres. With 5 mins to go Thornbury were losing 19-26, just one converted try behind, and exerting considerable pressure. With all players committed to the equalising score, the match was were killed off  when Chew counter attacked with a  kick and chase converted try. Thornbury now continue onto the Plate competition

The first match of the season and a new cup competition washed away the summer blues and vindicated all the training sessions as Thornbury ran out worthy winners. The basis of the victory lay within the superiority of the Thornbury pack who consistently won quality ball to be exploited by their free running backs.  Centres Dan Downman and  Robbie Garland ran provided consistent threats to the Gordano defence and it was Garland who broke the deadlock with his speed and power to score  2 tries in the first half, one of which was converted by Jenkins for Thornbury to lead 12-0 at half time. The new half back combination of Jenkins and Mallard, both playing out of their normal position, gelled quickly allowing a smooth transition between forwards and backs. Carl Yeates provided the third converted try with a typical bullocking run in midfield to score under the posts. Gordano possessed a couple of big fast players and full back Tom Moore was called into to make a couple of  try saving tackles. The Thornbury back row of  Jamie Smith, Will Whittingham and Sam Bradley had an outstanding game with Bradley scoring two tries  later in the second half, one from a blindside break from the base of a scrum, and the second  after a quick thinking Jenkins tapped a penalty which caught  Gordano out of position and put Bradley under the posts. Thornbury ran out winners and coach Simon Whittingham was understandably pleased “That was one of the best team performances I’ve seen in recent years”.