So it proved as Avon suffered their largest defeat for 6 years with a 10-66 heavy loss.

Ironically the opening 15 minutes was fairly even with Avon posing some attacking threats but a sign of things to come allowed Clevedon to open the scoring with a converted try after several missed tackles. As Avon responded well, Rob Fitch slotted a penalty before the visitors became increasingly dominant with their number 8 Ryder-Smith completing a hat-trick of tries.

Still Avon came back but they uncharacteristically failed to score from a 5 metre attacking line out, then committed hari-kari by failing to clear the ball from inside their own 22. Clevedon ruthlessly took advantage with another two tries before half time. With fly half Keenan-Scrace converting them all, Avon faced a mountain to climb with a 3-35 deficit at half time.

To their credit, they didn’t crumble with veteran Damien Sawyer, Sam Book and Stu Dilloway all performing heroics. They then scored the try of the match as Dan Cousineau set off on a mazy 70 metre run, leaving defenders trailing in his wake, before touching down at the other end of the pitch. Fitch converted but that proved the end of Avon’s scoring.

Clevedon meanwhile grew increasingly confident as they broke through attempted tackles to get behind the first line of defence before swarming support runners put the gloss on their performance with another 5 tries.

Avon gave a debut to 17 year old Ollie Mutlow on the wing, who performed admirably on his first appearance, alongside his uncle Chris Mutlow, Avon’s record appearance holder with 482 caps. Ollie pulled off two try saving tackles and as Avon attacked strongly at the end was denied a try in the closing minutes.

With no games for the next two weeks in this strangely scheduled league season, Avon’s next match is away to Burnham on 8th November by which time they are hoping that some of their unavailable players will return to action.