Game of 2 Halves Sees Avon Narrowly Defeated

Again lacking 6 first choice players through injury, Avon made a disastrous start as they shipped 3 tries inside the first quarter by allowing their hosts too much time and space for their talented backs to run in 3 unanswered tries. Eventually, Avon clawed their way onto the scoreboard as their pack increased the pressure for stand-in skipper Scott Book to touch down a pushover try.

Another soft try gave Stroud their bonus point before James Leeming set off on a mesmerising run from halfway for a scintillating try, converted by Rob Fitch just before halftime.

With the wind at their backs after the interval, Avon hoped to whittle away the deficit but made the worst possible start as they conceded another converted try with some poor defence to put them on the wrong end of a 12-33 score line. Staring down the barrel of an embarrassing defeat, Avon rose to the challenge and started to retain the ball and threaten their opponents with a series of dangerous attacks.

For the next half hour, it was all about Avon as they set about reducing the 21 point deficit as fly half Fitch inspired the comeback with a powerful run for a try with the conversion bouncing back from the posts.

Although their injury woes continued as Stuart Dilloway hobbled off the field, his replacement Josh Harding-Wyatt made several incisive runs through the middle. Than a
crafty lineout move involving Chas Meddick at the front created good field position and after the ball was recycled, Ollie Flight exploited a gap to add Avon's bonus point try, with Fitch adding the extras.

With 10 minutes remaining, Avon were suddenly back in contention as they camped inside the home 22 before Alex Gapper released Fitch to burst through for his second and Avon's fifth try to reduce the deficit to a single score. Throwing everything into attack, Avon had a chance to win from the last move of the game but a cross field kick was adjudged to be knocked on with the line beckoning, leaving Avon to settle for their two bonus points after an eventual narrow 29-33 defeat.

Avon 2nds lost 46-17 away at league leaders Whitehall.