Cheltenham North 27 - Southam 29

Southam had great start to first half, with good recycled ball from the forwards spread to centre Will Woods, who accelarated through the gap, drew the fullback and fed Bench who scored in the corner, after this Southam seemed to go to sleep playing at half pace, missing tackles across the field, allowing Cheltenham to dominate the game, resulting 3 unanswered tries and a drop goal. Only at the end of the half did Southam perk up a bit, with some good work in the forwards and some slick passing, Burnell got some space and then stepped four Cheltenham players on the way to the try. But this still left Southam going in to halftime at 24 - 10 down.

After what must have been a rousing halftime talk, Southam came out a different team, fronting up the Cheltenham forwards and stopping them on the gain line, across the field, continued pressure saw a lineout well won by No.8 Lander, fed to centre Tom Grimes, who crashed through and then stepped the last two defenders to score under the posts, converted by Grindal. After a slight rumpus, Southam upped the pace again and a well snatched lineout ball from second row Harris, was spread to Woods, who made the ground and the recycled ball was spread wide by fly half Harry Hewson to Bench, who stepped back inside through the defending traffic to score under the posts, converted by Grindal. Cheltenham then got their only points of the half with a penalty. More pressure from Southam and after a driven lineout forced Cheltenham back, the resulting scrappy ball was well picked up by scrum half Ellerington to go blind and feed Burnell, who skipped over for try number five and the lead. Southam survived a nervy few minutes to come out victors 27 - 29 with a fine second half performance.

Pick of the players was Will Lyne in the forwards and young Sam Bench in the backs.

This win puts Southam in to a mid table fifth place, which aptly reflects the teams strange lack of consistency throughout the season. On their day, Southam can and have beaten any team in the league, but if it is not their day, then the results suffer.

MOTM - Sam Bench