Jonny be good... in fact he’s very good
JONNY May notched a try and delivered a superb all-round display as Gloucester earned their first home victory of the season.
In his second game back from injury, the England wing gathered a Billy Burns chip seconds before the interval to send Kingsholm into raptures.
Further five-pointers from Lewis Ludlow, Matt Scott and Callum Braley subdued never-say-die Treviso.
May said: “It’s been a pretty long, hard road but it’s great to be back in front of these fantastic supporters and there are lots of big games to come. I felt really good out there and this win will give us a lot of confidence.”
Greig Laidlaw nudged Gloucester ahead from a scrum penalty, before marauding May almost notched the first try from a Charlie Sharples break.
May was forced into touch but Gloucester disrupted Treviso’s lineout, creating a bout of concerted pressure which drew a penalty converted by Laidlaw.
May, eager for work, set sail again and Gloucester’s first try arrived on 24 minutes when Paddy McAllister’s offload enabled Ludlow to crash over.
Treviso’s first incursion into Gloucester territory produced a penalty and three points for Ian McKinley, but their joy was short-lived as May picked off Marco Fuser’s pass and sent Billy Twelvetrees racing clear.
Treviso scrambled back but Gloucester turned the ball over and Ross Moriarty was held up before May was denied at the corner by Michael Tagicakibau.
Treviso were hanging on grimly and May was thwarted for a third time, before Burns burst between two defenders but wasted the chance by eschewing a scoring pass to Sharples.
Burns was hauled down and Treviso cleared, but the fly-half made amends a minute before half-time when his deft chip was collected by May, Laidlaw converting for a 20-3 interval lead.
Gloucester were caught cold from the restart when Tagicakibau collected Jayden Hayward’s pass to score in the corner, but normal service was resumed when May latched on to a floated pass from Twelvetrees to set an up field position.
John Afoa burst on to a Burns offload and Joe Latta went close before Treviso conceded a penalty which Laidlaw converted.
Sharples expertly fielded a steepling kick to set up the next attack, with Scott the beneficiary as he scorched down the left wing for try No.3.
Scott was soon involved
again, charging down Tomasso Iannone’s chip to put Gloucester on the front foot, but industrious openside Marco Lazzaroni snaffled the ball from Sharples as Treviso repelled the danger.
May almost grabbed his second try from Braley’s punt before departing to a rapturous ovation.
Scott threatened to break clear as Gloucester went in search of the try-bonus and their efforts were rewarded at the death when Latta, Richard Hibbard, Mark Atkinson went close before Braley stretched over.
“We stayed patient and were pleased to get the bonus point,” said relieved Gloucester backs coach Tim Taylor.
“It was massive for us to put in a really big performance and it’s fantastic to give our supporters a win.”