Youth Shines Through

With the Nomads fielding an extremely youthful threequarter line including Finlay Sharpe for his first senior game expectancy was high. However, Dursley had other ideas and were quickly on the attack with the wind at their backs. Good defensive work kept them out and on the few occasions that Stroud got good ball, poor handling and wrong options failed to sustain the good work that was done . Dursley forwards were effective at the scrummage and made several turnovers during a very disjointed first half. The one bright spark for Stroud during the first 40 minutes were the pace and attacking ability of full back Finlay Sharp.

With the wind at their backs for the second half Nomads forwards showed more urgency with No.8 and new recruit Adrian Polski always in the thick of the action. A good break by scrum half Joe Ashenford got too within 10metres of the Dursley try line, but the chance went begging through lack of support.

With the game going into the last quarter Nomads brought on a new player Chris Alderson at centre and with his first touch he broke through several tackles and was just hauled down 5 metres from the try line. This was the catalyst for the Stroud forwards to drive from an ensuing line out to the Dursley try line and when No8 Dave Clutterbuck was stopped, Joe Ashenford picked a the loose ball and managed to touch down for the first try, which he converted. With their tails up Nomads continued to pin Dursley in their own 22 and from a penalty awards Joe Ashenford kicked a penalty goal. Further good work by the threequarters led to full back Aaron Raath scoring Stroud's second try just before the final whistle.

A hard won victory, with some several new players showing their talents.