All change Stow take top spot as Newent suffer home defeat
STOW-ON-THE-WOLD now top Regional 2 Midlands West after beating Fosse Way neighbours Shipstonon-stour 36-3.
Will Marks and Will Debenham both scored two tries with one each for Archie Hayward and Jamie Gibbs, with Ollie Clements adding two conversions and Dave O’sullivan one.
They hit top spot as previous leaders Newent suffered their first defeat at the Rec since October 2022, going down 23-19 to Silhillians, and now drop to third with Silhillians going second.
Newent struck the first blow as Nathan Brooks touched down in the left-hand corner, before converting from the touchline.
The lead was short-lived as Silhillians scored a converted try and a penalty to lead 10-7 at the interval and they extended the lead early in the second half with a try.
Newent were quick to respond, Fin Mellis finishing wide on the left, leaving the score at 15-12 then Brooks found a gap to touch down under the posts and his conversion put Newent 19-15 ahead.
Silhillians regained the initiative with another try, and they added a penalty to make it 23-19.
The visitors were reduced to 14 with a red card but Newent could not take advantage.
Cheltenham are fourth after a 55-5 win over bottom side Berkswell & Balsall.
Henry Kirchner scored the opener, Curtis Neal with the extras, then Omar Ly went over, followed by Stan Fowkes-underhill, Neal adding the conversion, before Joe Warner crossed for the bonus-point try.
The second half continued in the same vein with Dan Crook running in from 40 metres, Neal with the extras, before Warner grabbed his second try, Neal converting.
Spencer-tonks clattered through to score then Crook galloped in from 40m again before Berkswell were rewarded with a try. Cheltenham’s last score came from Cam Holenstein, Neal adding the conversion.
Lydney were 34-19 winners over bottom side Weston-super-mare in Regional 1 South West.
Weston opened the scoring with a George Nuttycombe try but Lydney quickly led 7-5 as Dan Cooper ‘s try was converted by Tom Broady.
Broady’s penalty extended the lead before he improved Brad Dunn’s try to make it 17-5 at half-time.
Reilly Scriven scored the first try of the second half and Conal Mills secured the bonus-point with Joe Hamlin converting to make it 29-5.
Jay Davis responded with a try for Weston, converted by Nuttycombe, but Mike Cross’s try made it 34-12, before Dan Lomax completed the scoring with a Weston try, converted by Nuttycombe.
The win puts Lydney sixth in the table as they head to Redwell Road to face Matson this weekend.
On Saturday, the men in black had only a 17th-minute penalty from Connor Gwilliam to celebrate as they lost 46-3 at Launceston.
Drybrook were 32-5 Regional 2 Severn winners over Chosen Hill Former Pupils at the Mannings.
The game could not have started better for Drybrook as Baily Watts forced his way over with two minutes played.
Sonny Greenman followed this up with a penalty on eight minutes to move the score to 8-0 and with a quarter of an hour played Luke Roberts crossed for a try converted by Greenman.
Drybrook added another penalty by Greenman to lead 18-0 at the break but Chosen Hill mounted good pressure on the Drybrook line and captain Rob Panting squeezed over for a try.
The visitors continued to have the best of the next 15 minutes but Drybrook wrestled back control.
They drove the Hill pack back over their own line and as the scrum collapsed a penalty try gave Drybrook a 25-5 lead.
They followed this up with the try of the match as Greenman dived over the line and he converted his own try.
Drybrook lie fifth in the table, while Old Centralians are third after beating Swindon 54-12.
Jordan Smith, Luke Jones (two), Sol Farrer, Dan Tyler, Mike Mathers, Jevan Brown, and Alex Cox scored their tries, while Wayne Mulhern kicked seven conversions.
Counties 1 Western North leaders Longlevens ran in 11 tries to beat Chipping Sodbury 73-7.
Jake Fox led the way with a hat-trick for the Griffins, with two tries each for Tom Barton, Joe Weatherley and Ben Collier, Tom Evans and Jack Cuthbert with the others, while James Butler booted nine conversions.
Levens lead the table by a point from Nailsea & Backwell, who have a game in hand, while third-placed Cinderford II had a walkover win over Barton Hill.
Spartans have withdrawn from Counties 2 Gloucestershire North due to continuing issues with player availability.
A statement on their Facebook page says the Red Ants have seen the number of senior players on the decline which has caused them to cancel their last few games, the most recent being against Gordon League on Saturday.
Additionally, several key members of their first team have sustained long-term injuries ruling them out for several months or the remainder of the season and the decision to withdraw was made at a players’ meeting.
The statement said: “Whilst this is a sad day for Spartans RFC the committee and players would like to make it clear that this isn’t the end and we are definitely not folding - preparations are already underway for the 2024-2025 season.
“We are continuously on the lookout for new players, if anyone is interested in joining our great club please send us a message.”
League are 12 points clear of Old Patesians, who have played two games fewer after they beat Stroud 45-22, with tries for Max Folkard, Luke Cador, Aaron Shakeshaft, Cassius Earl-davis, Jack Hamilton (two) and Johnny Fenley, Sam Rhymes converting five times.
Dean Tattersall (two), Tiaan Litton and Sam Hester crossed for Stroud, Hester kicking a conversion.
Smiths are third after beating Hucclecote 66-5 with two tries apiece for Tom Wardell, Ben Sheldrake and Marcus Raymond and one for Ben Hawker, Sam Wilson, John Bryant and Duncan Spurrier, Raymond converting eight of the tries, with Hucclecote’s try from Harry Leftwitch.
Cirencester, in fourth, edged out Cheltenham North 20-17 thanks to tries from Dylan Jones and Tommy Woodward, with extras from Will Lowe
It was 13-12 at half-time, but with four minutes to go North were in front at 17-13, before Cirencester snatched the win.
North’s tries came from Atama Susa, Owen Quigley and James Harden, with a conversion from Tom Nolan.
Coney Hill are fifth after beating Brockworth 17-13 with tries for Joe Porter, Finbar Baker and Craig Ballinger and a conversion for Tom Knight, Brockworth replying with a penalty try and two penalties for Alex Fisher.
Counties 2 Gloucestershire South leaders Bream were 15-0 down at half time to Old Elizabethans, but two tries apiece from Chris Taylor and Harry Davies, with three conversions from Aaron Ryder, saw them hit back to win 26-15.
Berry Hill were 34-24 winners over St Mary’s Old Boys with two tries from Oli Morgan and one apiece for Josh Element and Dave Gundy, with Jake Ashley converting all four and adding two penalties.
Counties 3 Gloucestershire North leaders Gloucester Old Boys lead the table by 17 points after their 17-5 win over closest challengers Tewkesbury.
Dom Chant and Stephen Brown scored their tries, both converted by Taylor Unett, who added a penalty, Brendan Llewellyn’s try replying for Tewkesbury.
Widden Old Boys are fourth after edging out Cheltenham Saracens 34-29, Adam Phelps scoring two tries with one each for Ed Jeffs, Callum Maysey and Jordan Walker, who also kicked three conversions and a penalty.
Chosen Hill II were 33-24 winners over Painswick, thanks to tries from Billy Vaughan (two), David Gamble, Scott Claridge and Ryan Rennebach, Dan Yeates and Darren Rennebach with two conversions.
Painswick replied through Mark Taylor, Ben Pollard, James Dangerfield and a penalty try with two Dom Barnard conversions.
In Counties 3 Gloucestershire South, Lydney II were 38-17 winners at Bristol Aeroplane Co to stay top of the table.
Cinderford Stags kicked off 2024 with a 36-12 Counties 4 Gloucestershire North victory against Cheltenham Tigers.
The Stags dominated early on, Ethan Hopkins with the first try followed by a second for Adam Evans.
Reuben Hinds added to the Stags’ tally with a third try, and Evans ran in from the halfway line to extend the lead to 22-0 at half-time.
The second half saw James Kear add their fifth try, with Paddy Hinds converting.
Cheltenham responded with a solo try but Cinderford’s captain Liam Littleton ensured a decisive victory with another try which Brett Turner, converted although Cheltenham managed one more try.
We are definitely not folding - preparations are already underway for the 2024-2025 season