Narrow Comeback win reports Clive Book.....

In the end in was their skipper Scott Book playing his 350th first team game who set up the victory in the dying minutes of the game. Having played all but 4 of those games in the back row he slotted into the unfamiliar Fly half position for this landmark appearance and with 3 mins to go broke through the Saints defence from 30m out before being tackled just short where he could his brother Kane in support who grabbed the score under the posts to level the game.

Avon started well enough putting an early Chaz Meddick try on the board following a trademark multi phase attack which started in their own half. Coach Kai Harwood had warned his team before the game that Saints would battle for ever ball and he was proved to be correct with their experienced open side GED Hooper in the thick of everything the Bristol side scored two impressive try’s to put themselves in a well deserved lead before Book pulled off an outrageous cross field kick to allow winger Iain Paris to pounce in the corner to bring Avon back in touch at half time score line of 12 10.

Avon had the wind on their back in the second half but were struggling to put any pattern on the game and in the end it took a excellent solo effort from full back Johnny Batchalor who side stepped his way to the line from 40m out to give Avon the lead back.

This was not a lead they would hold for long and were guilty of ball watching at the kick off and Saints took full advantage scoring immediately with a well worked Hopper try and then with 10 mins to go extended the lead with a pen which look like it would be enough to give the hosts a rare victory over Avon before the Avon skipper leading from the front once again set up the try that would give them the win and bonus once Batchalor landed the straight forward conversion. Avon still had to close the game out and and this time made no mistake at the kick off and Meddick and Book used their experience to take control of the ball and see the game out