Thorns scored five tries, all through their backs, with wings Alex Holden and Chris Perrett both scoring in the dying moments of each half. Tom Stolliday scored Thorns’ opening try. North Dorset’s bumper pack controlled territory and possession but they were unable to make that dominance tell and Thornbury’s defence refused to crack.

Throughout the season Thorns have not been able to select a consistent side, and once again wholesale changes were required. Of the seven backs, only scrumhalf Sam Poustie started in the same position as he had the previous week. With both centres Mike Gaston and Max Curtis missing through illness and injury respectively Tom Stolliday came in and Jack Pinker moved from ten to twelve. Jack Pickles, fullback at Chippenham, moved to outside half with Alfie Richardson returning to fullback. Alex Holden came in for the injured Jack Oakey and Chris Perrett started his first match since the opening league match on the right wing. Gez Asante returned at loosehead prop with Henry Low returning to hooker. Hayden Johnson came in at No.8 with Mike Johnson switching to the flank alongside Roman Beckhaus, who came in for Luke Neale. Chris Moseley and Tom Constable remained in the boiler house, whilst an all-forward bench of George Smith, Aiden Robinson and Max Harper reflected the current injury situation.

North Dorset had not visited Thornbury since January 2013 but sat immediately above Thornbury in the table on points difference. After a week of torrential rain the pitches at the rugby club were severely waterlogged whilst the excellent drainage capabilities of the Chantry pitches ensured that the game could go ahead there.

There was a clear jersey clash with North Dorset surprisingly arriving in shirts of a similar colour and design rather than the blue and green jerseys that they normally wear. They kicked off downhill under the heaviest of clouds which gave a hint of twilight about the atmosphere. They set down an early marker with some dominant scrummaging and powerful carries, and after Thorns had conceded a number of penalties Chris Moseley was yellow carded. Thorns held the visiting pack as it tried to drive over from maul and scrum, but eventually the resolve cracked when No.8 Rob Burnell picked up and drove over from a scrum. Tom Stewart converted for a deserved early lead.

As the first quarter drew to a close Thornbury’s backs got their hands on the ball in space for the first time and Alfie Richardson led an attack up the right of the field before it was switched to the left where a bad pass denied Alex Holden a chance. Shortly afterwards Holden and Richardson combined to get behind the defence. Chris Perrett and Tom Stolliday took play on but Gez Asante was held-up over the line. North Dorset made a hash of the drop-out and Thorns attacked from a scrum. After a series of drives to the right of the posts the ball was moved quickly to the left where Tom Stolliday was able to amble in for the try. Jack Pickles converted to tie the score at 7-7.

Shortly after the restart North Dorset prop Jamie Bettesworth was driven over from a lineout on the Thornbury line. The conversion missed as Max Harper came on for Roman Beckhaus. Then with the half drawing to a close, Thorns tied the scores again when Alfie Richardson combined with Alex Holden down the left for the wing to score in the corner. Then as North Dorset tried to attack close to halftime Chris Perrett read the attack, intercepted a pass on the North Dorset ten-metre line and sprinted in for a try. Jack Pickles converted and Thorns led 19-12 at the break.

George Smith came on for Jack Summerfield at halftime, then Aiden Robinson replaced Hayden Johnson early in the second half and Thorns had to defend for their lives as North Dorset monopolised possession and forced Thornbury into countless penalties. Thornbury couldn’t clear their lines but the defence stopped everything North Dorset threw at it. The entire third quarter took place in the Thornbury ‘22’ but after Thornbury had, at last, escaped defensive duties North Dorset were awarded a penalty and took play back into the Thornbury ‘22’. But Thorns had weathered the storm, and were able to secure a lineout in the North Dorset ‘22’ a few minutes later. After a series of drives Chris Moseley touched down on the line, but the referee was unsighted and unable to award the score. But Thorns were not to be denied and from a tapped penalty the forwards drove before Jack Pickles sent out a long pass to Alex Holden who dived over in the corner for the bonus point try. With just a couple of minutes remaining that looked like the match was Thornbury’s. Jack Pickles converted with a fine kick from the touchline and a 26-12 lead.

Thorns added the icing to the cake with a try five minutes later when the ball was moved along the backs on the North Dorset ‘22’, Alfie Richardson stepped inside and Chris Perrett came off his wing, took the ball and scored in the corner. The conversion missed, and although Thorns attacked again in last play they had done enough and won 31-12. Thornbury moved above North Dorset to seventh in the league table.

North Dorset had thrown everything at Thornbury but the defence had held out, and in each half they seemed to have absorbed the visitors’ energy, and with some possession at last late on used their backs to score tries. It was five tries to Thornbury’s backs compared to two tries from North Dorset’s forwards. That statistic reflected the approach of the teams.

There were many fine performances from Thornbury with the defence particularly good. Tom Constable and Gez Asante had eye-catching performances whilst Tom Stolliday was particularly influential in defence. Alfie Richardson had space to run in and was dangerous whenever he had the ball. Chris Perrett and Alex Holden took their tries very well indeed with Chris Perrett awarded player of the match.

With the league season at the mid-point Thornbury travel to Royal Wootton Bassett next Saturday for the return fixture following a comfortable 62-24 win last September hoping for their first win on the road.

Scorers:
Thornbury: tries – Tom Stolliday, Alex Holden (2), Chris Perrett (2); conversions – Jack Pickles (3).
North Dorset: tries – Rob Burnett, Jamie Bettesworth; conversion - Tom Stewart.

Teams:
Thornbury: Alfie Richardson (c); Chris Perrett, Tom Stolliday, Jack Pinker, Alex Holden; Jack Pickles, Sam Poustie; Gez Asante, Henry Low, Jack Summerfield, Chris Moseley, Tom Constable, Mikey Johnson, Roman Beckhaus, Hayden Johnson.
Replacements: George Smith, Aiden Robinson, Max Harper.

North Dorset: Ben Pettigrew; Lewis Warren, Thomas Stewart (c), Dec Ellis, Will Hawkins; Ashley Monaghan-Phelps, Henry Hillyard; Jamie Bettesworth, Rich Miller, Joe Atkins, Josh Salisbury, Pearce Miller, Charlie Jobling, Arthur Dimmack, Rob Burnell.
Replacements: Brad Bignell, Sam Knott, Jake Cannings.

Referee: Enyioma Anomelechi (Bristol Referees’ Society)