Win for Thorns in Worcestershire sun

Thornbury built on last weekend’s win at Chippenham with a good work-out against Midlands side Old Halesonians and a thoroughly-deserved six-try win.

Thornbury renewed acquaintances with Old Hales having played in pre-season a year ago, Old Hales being a team playing in the equivalent Midlands league to Thornbury. Although several players that featured at Chippenham were not available a number of others played their first game of the season, including skipper Sam Evans.

Players making their first team debut for Thornbury included former Development XV players Matt Holliday, Tighe Shipton, Tim Cunningham and Kieran Sparrow. Josh Panting had recovered from illness and played for the first time in over a year whilst Chris Reed was welcomed for his club debut having moved to the area from Monmouth.

The versatile Bob Adams, a wing against Chippenham, began at scrum half with last weekend’s halfback, Jack Pinker, donning the number ten shirt in the starting XV. The plan was to rotate the squad of twenty-seven throughout the game, a contest played in three thirty minute periods.

Thorns began well and a powerful run in midfield from Matt Holiday was followed by one from fellow centre Gez Asante as Thornbury adopted a direct approach at pace. Thorns went ahead after four minutes when the forwards were joined by their friends in the backs and drove over from a lineout, Asante touching the ball down from the back of the maul. Alfie Richardson’s conversion hit the post.

After ten minutes on the defensive Old Hales began to secure possession and challenge the Thornbury defence. James Wood ripped the ball from one maul and the pack repelled two attempted driving lineouts. Then defensive pressure applied to the home attacks forced Old Hales backwards and after a turnover was secured and the ball moved quickly to Richardson the fullback raced from his ‘22’ to the home ten-metre line, drew the defence and passed inside to Mike Johnson who ran in for his first try for Thornbury. Richardson converted for a 12-0 lead.

Jake Goodridge, home from university, cut through the home defence from the restart but his inside pass was knocked on with the line clear ahead. Instead it was Old Hales who scored with a counter-attack from a kick to deep in the home territory and a cross-kick which was taken by the fullback to score a fine try. The inside centre converted and it was game on, Thorns leading 12-7 as the first period drew to a close.

Thornbury changed half the side in the interval and ten minutes into the middle period Matt Holliday joined a rolling maul to score. Shortly afterwards Jim Massey and Jak Evans combined to open the defence and a kick ahead almost led to another try. Midway through the period Louis Osborne scored on the left following an attack led by Tighe Shipton on the right. Jonny Sanderson converted for a healthy 24-7 lead. However, the home side exploited a gap close to the breakdown at the end of the period and the scrum half scored a converted try. Thorns led 24-14.

Further changes to the line-up were made for the final period and shortly after the resumption of play Old Hales scored a third converted try. Now only leading 24-21 Thornbury supporters began to get a bit twitchy but Shipton scored from the restart, gathering a charged-down kick to score in the corner. Thorns concluded the scoring with a satisfying try from the pack, which shunted an Old Hales scrum over their own line and the industrious Osborne grabbed his second try which with Jack Pinker’s conversion put Thornbury out of sight at 36-21.

This was a fine collective performance with all the players knowing what to do and how to work with their team-mates. There were many encouraging performances but Louis Osborne was outstanding, linking well, and being a complete nuisance to the home side. The hard-working back-rower also scored two excellent but contrasting tries.

Thornbury have a contested training evening at Hartpury College on Thursday 22nd against the university side and a final pre-season game with London side Chiswick at home on August 31st.

Scorers: tries – Louis Osborne (2), Gez Asante, Mike Johnson, Matt Holiday and Tighe Shipton; conversions – Alfie Richardson, Jonny Sanderson, Jack Pinker.

Team: Alfie Richardson, Mike Johnson, Gez Asante, Matt Holliday, Dan Hussey, Jack Pinker, Bob Adams, Kieran Wilson, Sam Evans (c), Jack Summerfield, Tom Constable, James Wood, Jake Goodridge, Louis Osborne, Jim Massey.
Also played: Henry Low, Charlie Squier, Luke Panting, Max Harper, Jonny Sanderson, Tighe Shipton, Josh Panting, Jak Evans, Ben Rodriguez, Kieran Sparrow, Tim Cunningham and Chris Reed.