Ross 5 Cirencester 16
Ross Rugby Club 1st XV entertained promotion challengers Cirencester last Saturday in a Gloucester Premier League match. After a hard fought encounter, marred by very wet conditions, Ross fell just short, losing 16 - 5.
Ross seemed the more adventurous side from the outset, looking to bring some pace and tempo to the proceedings. However, the rain over the previous twenty-four hours meant conditions underfoot were heavy and the ball quickly turned into a bar of soap. This led to a number of errors and both teams found it very difficult to build any pressure or momentum. As a result, the first half was a very stop start affair and the only difference between the sides was the reliable boot of the Cirencester fly half who converted all three of his penalties to put Cirencester 9 - 0 up at half time.
Ross continued to look to move the ball about in the second half, searching for that score that would open up the encounter.
It was from such enterprise that Cirencester clinched the winning score. After a series of Ross rucks, the ball was lost in the midfield. Cirencester hacked the ball into the Ross twenty-two, but Adam Clements seemed to have the ball covered. But under pressure from the Cirencester chasers, the slippery ball was knocked loose and as it bobbled over the line the Cirencester centre touched down to score. With an easy conversion Cirencester were now 16 - 0 ahead.
Ross continued to work hard looking for a way back however the clock defeated them and it was not until the last play of the match that scrum half James Hughes ducked under two tacklers to score.
The Ross-on-Wye Terry's Digitals Man of the Match was Tara Barnett.