In a strange first quarter, Avon hardly touched the ball in the opening 10 minutes as Matson almost seemed to be running through a training session, yet after 20 minutes Avon had responded clinically to score 20 unanswered points for a comprehensive lead. Rob Fitch opened the scoring with a penalty after a crafty turnover from Damien Sawyer and then added a converted try under the posts after good approach work from Ollie Flight and Scott Book.

Then from the restart, Avon conjured up a tremendous team try as interpassing amongst the pack up the touchline took play deep into the visitors 22 before the ball was swiftly transferred across the field where Sawyer dummied over for another converted try. With Fitch slotting another penalty, Matson could have been forgiven for crumbling under the onslaught but instead they responded with some fluent attacking rugby to claw their way back into the game to score 2 tries inside each corner from their speedy backs.

Another Fitch penalty gave Avon a 23 – 12 half time lead but the gap was immediately closed as Matson again showed their paces out wide after sucking in the home midfield defence to score their third try. Fitch repeated the dose with another penalty before Matson suddenly reduced the deficit to two points with their fourth bonus point try.

With the result in the balance, Avon tightened up their approach to take a more direct route with a series of forward drives which were only repelled by continual infringements which led to a Matson player being sent to the sin bin. Avon took advantage with successive close range scrums forcing Matson into desperate defence before skipper Kai Harwood stormed over for a trademark try, again converted by Fitch to settle an entertaining Western Counties match.

Next week Avon travel to second-placed North Bristol.