Stow showdown Corns win to set up a title decider
STOW-ON-THE-WOLD face a Regional 2 Midlands West title decider at Silhillians on Saturday after their 43-14 win over Ludlow.
Tries for Zeb Waite, Will Marks, Giles King, Jack Oughton, Will Debenham, Ollie Clements and James Holmes, with four Clements conversions, sealed the win, and they are two points behind Silhillians in second place.
With two games remaining, defeat will hand the Solihull club the title, but a Stow win will put the Corns in pole position for the crown.
Newent look set to finish third, and travel to Cheltenham on Saturday fresh from a 28-3 win over Worcester.
They upped their game in the second half helped by a composed display from 17-year-old Harry Tovey on his first start at fly half.
Newent got off to a flying start with a try inside two minutes for Jack Devries and Jacob Ivell’s conversion saw the touch judges raise their flags, but the referee ruled it wide.
Ivell sent a penalty attempt wide before Worcester cut the gap with a penalty.
Tovey was handed the kicking tee, and he took a penalty chance to make it 8-3 at half-time.
Newent started the second half with much more energy and Matt Henry drove low through four tacklers to touch down and Tovey added the extras to take the score to 15-3.
Tovey added two more three-pointers before Newent’s final try, Ivell crossing in the right-hand corner with Tovey, landing his fifth successful kick of the day.
There is set to be another title decider in Counties 1 Western North, where leaders Longlevens go to Cinderford II with a 12-point lead, having played two games more.
The Griffins got back on track with a 31-7 bonus point over Bridgwater, Steve Phillips with the opening try, converted by Brad Wilkins.
Tom Barton added the second score, then James Butler scored the third to make it 19-0.
Jake Fox scorched in for the final score of the half, then after the break Bridgwater clawed back seven points, before Tom Barton added Longlevens’ final try.
In Regional 1 South West, Matson went down 21-10 at Brixham and remain third from bottom with two games left.
They started well with a try from Tom Collier, converted by Connor Gwilliam, but Brixham came back with two converted tries before half time to lead 14-7.
Matson also started the second half well and were rewarded with a penalty from Connor Gwilliam, but Brixham scored a converted try to seal the win.
Lydney lost 42-24 to Chew Valley with tries from Lewis Locke, Reilly Scriven (two) and Conal Mills, Jack O’connell with two conversions.
Old Centralians completed the Regional 2 Severn double over Forest rivals Drybrook with a 27-12 win Cents eighth success on the bounce as they maintain second spot in the league.
Cents’ try scorers were Mike Mathers, Lewis May, Dan Tyler and Liam Hiles with Harry Preece landing a penalty and a conversion, Wayne Mullhern also landing a conversion.
Chosen Hill lost 40-10 to Thornbury, with tries from Jake Townsend and Joe Short.
The Counties 2 Gloucestershire North title race looks to be bubbling up to a last-day clash between Gordon League and Old Patesians at Everest Road on April 6.
League hold an eight-point lead with two games left - but Pats have a game in hand, both sides racking up big wins on Saturday.
League won 69-7 at Hucclecote with Will Richards scoring a first-half hattrick, Tom Gibbs also crossing three times.
Luke Mcmahon crossed twice while Ryan Carter, Connor King and Kaian Buhagiar scored the other tries with Mcmahon converted six tries and King one.
Max Marshall scored the Cote try, converted by Brad Harris.
Old Patesians were 60-12 winners over Cirencester, Sam Rhymes thumping home an early penalty, before converting his own try.
As half time beckoned, leading try scorer Joe Mcdean grabbed a swiftly taken brace, the second converted by Rhymes for a 22-0 lead without getting into second gear.
Ollie Stephens rounded off the first half with the bonus point try, converted by Rhymes.
Rhymes added seven points with a converted try two minutes into the second half, but the visitors hit back immediately with a well-worked line out drive try, which was converted.
Lucas Town crashed over for the next try converted by Rhymes before Cirencester scored a consolation try.
Aodha Hession glided over before Joe Hart charged 30 meters up hill to dab down for a try converted by Rhymes taking his tally to 20 points and Town added the final try.
Ciren’s try scorers were Sean Bradley and Tom Dykes with a Will Lowe conversion.
Smiths are third after their 32-16 win over Brockworth, with tries for Ben Sheldrake, Ben Hawker, Matt Dean, Ashton Pullin and John Bryant, Marcus Raymond with two conversions and a penalty.
Brockworth had a try for Alfie Burns, converted by George Gladding, who also kicked three penalties.
Man-of-the-match Liam Urquhart scored a hat trick in Coney Hill’s 43-3 win at Old Cryptians.
Kai Turner, Joe Porter, Ryan Barnett and the evergreen Sid King were the other scorers, while Ash Lewis kicked four conversions, Ryan Preedy kicked a penalty for Crypts.
Cheltenham North were 29-26 winners over Old Richians.
Bream stay a point behind Counties 2 Gloucestershire South leaders Dings Crusaders II after a 31-9 win over Forest neighbours Berry Hill.
Frazer Montague scored a hat-trick of tries, Jake Scott with the other, while Aaron Ryder converted three tries and kicked a penalty, Jayden Hardy with the other conversion, while Jake Ashly kicked Berry Hill’s points with three penalties.
Bream have a game in hand on Dings, who came away from fourth-placed Dursley with a 29-17 win, Dursley’s tries coming from Tyrone Chappell and Simon Camm, Henry Scott converting both and adding a penalty.
Counties 3 Gloucestershire North leaders Gloucester Old Boys were handed a walkover by Cheltenham Saracens, and a win over Ross-on-wye this weekend will seal the title.
Second-placed Bredon Star beat Chosen Hill FP II 76-12, Max Dibble and Matty Peters with two tries, and one each for Tolly Wilson, Zeb Stephen, Matt Alonso, Pete Mitchell, Will Gamble, Alex Jameson, Reece Dickenson and George Gallagher, Henry Tarrant with three conversions and Alonso five.
Alfie Fuller scored two tries as thirdplaced Widden Old Boys beat Ross-onwye 29-12, Jack Hughes, James Edwards and Rilwan Lawal with the others, Jordan Walker kicking two conversions.
Ross’s try scorers were Thai Hayward and Aiden Street, his first for the club, with a conversion from Hayward.
Minchinhampton beat Matson II 20-12 with tries for Jonny Acton, Will Ferrand and Ben Willows, plus a Ben Pope conversion and penalty.
Joe Stokes and Heath Turner went over for Matson, with a conversion from Brooke Turner.
Longlevens II were 69-7 winners over Painswick, for whom Ben Pollard scored a try, with a conversion from Tom Unwin.
Lydney II were beaten 36-33 at Cotham Park - but have clinched the Counties 3 Gloucestershire South title.
CCS Warpigs stay top of Counties 4 Gloucestershire North after their 45 -5 win over Newent II.
Oli Wilton and Aaron Tallon both scored two tries with one apiece for Craig Johnstone, Michael Grimshaw and Declan Harwood, Harvey Cooke with five conversions.