DRYBROOK gained a morale-boosting 21-19 win over Regional One Midlands neighbours Newent

The home side were soon camped in the Newent 22 where early pressure forced a penalty, writes Paul Dando.

The visitors responded at the first scrum, pushing Drybrook off the ball but home No 8 Mitch Bourne picked up and carried strongly to set up a maul from which the ball was chipped behind the defence only to be knocked on over the line.

From the resulting scrummage, Newent’s No 8 Ben Brown picked up and made good ground before setting up a ruck to feed full-back Doug Long who kicked to touch near halfway.

Soon after Adrian Connelly was just forced out in the right hand corner.

Then after a succession of penalties against the home side, the ball was spread wide to the opposite corner where Kyle Towers touched down wide out for 5-0.

Back came Drybrook when the ball was fed wide but the pass was forward.

They kept the pressure on and scrum-half Harry Appleton cleverly sold a dummy and was over by the posts.

Harry Housley converted for 7-5.

It was short lived as Newent won a lineout inside the Drybrook 22, from which powerful hooker Ethan Allen got over in the left corner. Long converted, in off the far post, to make it 7-12 at half-time

Early in the second half, Newent had what was probably the best move up to that point, as Dylan Leney caught a huge kick inside his 22 and chose to run it.

Four passes later and the ball was inside the home 22, with a great run by Joe Horner eating up the yards, but the final pass went astray.

The home side worked the ball back up-field and after several plays in 22, Appleton chipped over the defence and Mitch Baldwin won the race to the touchdown. Housley kicked the extras for 14-12.

The ball was soon in the Drybrook 22 again and, in a neatly worked move, Long joined the line opening a gap in the defence which the full-back took full advantage of to get the touchdown and then convert his own try.

A good deal of kicking followed as each side looked for field position.

This was broken up by some exciting running first by Newent and then, crucially by Drybrook.

Winning a lineout inside their 22 they were able to break out with some determined running and backing up with the ball finally ending up in Appleton’s hands.

The scrum half took a line that stretched the remaining defenders but took him out toward the touchline to get the crucial try with Housley making the tricky conversion to re-take the lead.

Newent attacked strongly from the re-start and soon won a penalty, with a Drybrook player shown yellow and then red for a second yellow offence but the kick went wide.

Newent carried hard from the re-start but as if to sum up Newent’s error strewn afternoon the ball was knocked forward.