Ross moved into the top three in the league recently with a hard fought win away in Gloucester, playing the Cryptians. It was the hosts who started the brightest playing with the slope, they pinned Ross back in the twenty two and from a lineout they opened the scoring after ten minutes to put them 7-0 ahead.

The hosts sensed an easy afternoon on the front foot but Ross had different ideas. Through some strong ball carrying they slowly worked themselves back into the game and after gaining a foothold in the hosts’ 22, they inched closer to the try line.

The ball was moved left, Alex Davies was hauled down a yard from the line, but had the presence of mind to pop the ball up for Basil Parker who dived over to score in the corner. Thai could not convert from the touchline, leaving the score 7-5 to Cryptians.

With Ross dominating possession, the next score was not long in coming. Again, through some brutal ball carrying by the forwards, Ross worked themselves into the hosts’ 22. They thought they had scored but the referee ruled the ball had been held up. From the ensuing scrum, the hosts were penalised and the referee gave a penalty try, putting Ross 12-7 ahead.

As the half came to a close, the hosts converted a penalty, so Ross went into the break 12-10 ahead. The hosts threw everything they had at Ross after the break but the Ross defence did not concede a yard. To a man they scythed every opposition runner down and, as in the first half Ross slowly worked themselves back into the game and stretched their lead with a Casey Morgan score.

After Jonnie Baynham had bounced off a series of tackles like a pinball, before offloading to Casey to score. Casey Morgan was on the scoreboard again soon after and Ross found themselves 24-10 ahead. Cryptians did hit back with a penalty and a try to bring the score back to 24-18, but from a lineout 30 yards out, some clever interplay by Gavin Oates and Josh Element saw Josh over to score in the corner. Ross saw out the game comfortably with a bonus point 29-18 win.

On Saturday, November 3rd, Ross are at home against Old Elizabethans from Bristol, a 2.30pm kick off at Greytree.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.