Winning run comes to an end...

The absence of several experienced tight forwards undermined the first XV’s hopes of progressing to the semi-finals of the Bristol Combination Plate competition.

Against a well-organised outfit from the Gloucestershire Premier League, the home team played almost all of the game on the back foot - not a situation they have experienced in their winning run of recent weeks. And when they did get into the Old Boys’ 22, they failed to convert that pressure into points – and were all too vulnerable to the counter-attack.

Gordano’s only try came in the first couple of minutes when Dean Ashfield, standing in a fly-half, stepped his marker and accelerated through the traffic for an excellent solo try which Tim Coughlan was unable to convert.

Old Colstonians quickly hit back with an unconverted try of their own but then conceded a penalty which Coughlan goaled from 35 metres to make the score 8-5.

But after weak tackling let in the Old Boys for two converted tries in quick succession, it became an uphill task. Gordano mounted a series of assaults on the visitors’ line and prop ‘Popeye’ Stevenson came closest to scoring the try his all-round play merited but Colstonians broke out from a scrum on their own line to touch down at the other end. The conversion and a further penalty gave them a 29-8 lead at the break.

If the result was in any doubt, a fifth try soon after half-time sealed it. The only blot on the Old Boys’ performance was persistent infringement in the tackle area and a second yellow card soon afterwards cost them the services of their hooker. Having lost a prop to injury early on and without another front row replacement, the scrums became uncontested for ten minutes.

Again Gordano failed to take advantage and the visitors eventually ran in two more unconverted tries.

The first XV hope to get back to winning ways in the league next weekend – but scheduled opponents Keynsham 2nd XV again failed to fulfil a fixture yesterday. Old Reds were awarded a walk-over.