To set the scene, the Tetley Bitter Vase was a national competition arranged for junior clubs across the country, with the early rounds being geographically based on the South West, then branching out to cover the whole of the South before next including the Midlands and eventually with the final ending up to include a Northern clash at Twickenham. The magic of the Cup with the carrot of the final being held at HQ and the subsequent glory attracted a huge amount of attention in the city as Avon moved smoothly through the rounds, with each fixture becoming more difficult and generating additional publicity. Avon firstly defeated Wessex from Devon who had reached the last 16 of the competition the previous season. Next up saw them defeat a useful Exeter Saracens team. The next round was against Old Pennanians who played two levels higher than Avon in Southern Counties North. Their next opponents were Datchworth from Hertfordshire, whose player/coach was John Orwin, the former Gloucester and England captain. Another win moved Avon into the quarter-final where they faced an away trip to Old Tiffinians who were top of Surrey Division 2 and who were unbeaten at home that season. Responding to the challenge, Avon reached the semi finals and another away trip to Old Silhillians near Birmingham who had already won promotion to Midlands West 2 after only 2 defeats all season.

The Avon squad that day on 13th March 1999 consisted of: Backs: Chris Masdin; Ian Northcott; Carwyn James; Phil Williams; Tony Dore; Clive Book; Gavin Henderson and Forwards: Steve Mitten; Wayne Jefferies; Kev Dyer; Chris Nicholson; Mike Houlihan; Simon Manister; Rod Evans; Andy McGowan with the Replacements: Andy McDermott; Mark Duffee; Dave Hoyte; Gareth Richardson; Brendan O’Mara; Matt Clarke.

Despite a whole-hearted effort from the entire squad, Avon’s hopes were dashed as they fell at the last hurdle, losing an enthralling game by 22-10. The heartache they suffered and the atmosphere of the occasion was summed up excellently in a full page spread in the Chronicle on the following Monday:

“It was about three hours after the final whistle had sounded that Avon’s battered and bruised players boarded the coach to take them home. There were many brave faces – but the agony of what happened earlier in the day was plain to see. One match, just 80 minutes of rugby, had stood between them and the day of their dreams – a Tetley’s Bitter Vase final at Twickenham, the home of English rugby.

As the coach pulled away from Silhillians’ Copt Heath ground by the side of the M42 after losing 22-10, you could have been forgiven for thinking the journey home was a silent one, each player consumed in their own thoughts. Not a bit of it. No sooner had they hit the motorway than captain Simon Manister was on his feet, demanding from his players that they be proud and hold their heads up high. Meanwhile, Chairman Steve Bird and the other officials moved around, consoling some, but reminding everyone of the magnitude of what had been achieved. By the time the coach pulled up outside their Hicks Field ground a couple of hours later, you would have thought that the trip to HQ was in the bag, such was the party atmosphere on board.

To be close to such a big prize and miss out is a bitter pill to swallow. But swallow it they did – and they and their three coachloads of supporters responded magnificently. By their own admission afterwards, Avon did not play to the best of their ability, although each and every one of them worked until they dropped. And the words of player/coach Clive Book, who said in midweek that a semi-final was a horrible place to lose, rang true. But, although Silhillians walked off that one important step closer to the big prize, the conclusion was that there were no losers from this match which was played in an almost carnival-like atmosphere.

One of the deciding factors of the match lay in the 20 minute period after half time when Silhillians ran in 22 unanswered points to put themselves virtually out of sight. Another was that Avon never managed to achieve the forward dominance that their coaching team had been anticipating. Indeed it was Silhillians who built that platform, from which they could launch their ever-dangerous backs – and rack up the four tries which won them the game.

Yet the omens looked good for Avon in a tight first half. Silhillians, roared on by their own large vociferous support, started strongly and pinned the visitors deep inside their own half. But, after Sils missed three early penalty chances, a quiet Avon rediscovered their confidence and fought back ferociously to force their hosts into desperate defence. Scrum half Gavin Henderson missed a difficult penalty before the visitors grabbed the lead in the 17th minute with a well-worked try. The ball was won at a lineout 10 metres out and, as the forwards drove on, the back row took control with skipper Simon Manister forcing his way over for a close range try. The conversion was missed but Avon were in control – despite the unsettling loss of prop Steve Mitten through injury.

With Henderson and Book calling the shots at half back, they made light of the heavy pitch and worked a clever centre-field miss move to bring full back Chris Masdin into the line before winger Ian Northcott was stopped by the last defender. As half time approached, Sils fought back but Avon’s impeccable defence held them safely at bay. What happened a minute after the break altered the course of the game as Avon, now also missing Carwyn James with a leg injury, conceded a well-worked try. A couple of tackles were missed in midfield, allowing Sils to recycle and send winger Paul Short scampering past the scattered defence for the equalising score – and his club record- breaking 30th try of the season. Ten minutes later, with the visitors’ pack suffering in the scrummage, the hosts took the lead. Awarded a penalty five yards out, Sils elected to scrum and pushed Avon back with Number 8 Duncan Stanley diving over amidst the mass of bodies.

Four minutes later, it got even worse. A switch move in the backs allowed Anthony Waight, their quarter-final hat-trick hero, to make an angled run to the corner and crash over. Two minutes later, it was 22-5 as an Avon pass was intercepted by centre Guy Atkinson, who raced under the posts for their final try that Waight converted. It was a blow from which Avon never recovered, although they raised their spirits to launch a fightback in the final stages. However, they struggled to pierce a committed Sils defence and it wasn’t until the 65th minute that Henderson fed Number 8 Rod Evans from a tap penalty and the big man crashed over to reduce the deficit.

As referee Ray Preston blew the final whistle, Avon trudged off to a rapturous reception from all sides but knowing that their Twickenham dream was in tatters. Skipper Simon Manister pointed out on the way home that they are Somerset 1 champions – and the best side in their level of rugby in the South West. But it is someone else’s destiny to play on the big stage.”