Derby delight North maintain perfect start with Saracens success
CHELTENHAM North have a maximum 20 points from four Gloucestershire Premier games after a 36-12 win over Cheltenham Saracens at Stoke Road.
North sit second on points difference behind Chosen Hill FP, who also have maximum points ahead of the game between the two on october 19 at Brookfield Road.
It was a first defeat of the league campaign for Saracens, who found themselves 24-0 down at half-time.
Declan Harwood scored the opening try, but Sila Ulugia missed the conversion.
North lost Will Hartland to injury before Daniel Hewitt scored the second try, converted by Ulugia.
A Saracens penalty hit the post before Chris Howell scored an unconverted try and Hewitt got his second, converted by Ulugia.
After the break, Saracens opened their account with an unconverted try from a rolling maul, but North made it 31-5 when Ben Crocker went over, Ulugia converting.
A converted try cut the gap to 31-12 before North were reduced to 14 men by a red card but they completed the scoring with a Stephen Tiller try.
Old Patesians took their second win in South West One East, beating Trowbridge 42-18, and there was a 20-15 win for Stow over Reading in Southern Counties North.
A strong second half effort secured the win as Reading led when Stow conceded a penalty which was kicked to the corner, the lineout being secured and driven over for a converted try.
Reading didn’t let up and soon had their second, a strong scrum pushed Stow back and when the ball was released a couple of missed tackles ended up with an unconverted try.
Stow hit back after a quickly taken penalty made good ground with Harry Gaden on hand to score close to the posts, Dan Adams converting.
A Reading penalty saw them 15-7 up at haf-time before an Adams penalty clawed back three points then another quickly taken penalty saw full back Billy Maude join the line, and he outsmarted the Reading defence to score an unconverted try in the corner, leaving the game poised at 15-15.
But Stow won the game when another break by Maude set up Nick Cafearo beat the last man to score in the corner.
Cheltenham were edged out 19-16 by Barton Hill in Western Counties North, while in Gloucestershire One, Cirencester beat Gloucester Old Boys 26-18, Fairford were 33-19 winners at Dursley, Tewkesbury lost 34-26 to leaders Old Cryptians and Smiths were handed a walkover by Old Colstonians.