Old Pat’s fought hard to come out 33-15 winners at home against Brockworth RFC. A couple of delightful second half passes by Lucas Town sealed the 5 points. Brockworth had improved no end from the first meeting between the two local rivals and started the stronger. The Badgers put the first points on the board when they converted a penalty in the fifteenth minute having failed to convert one in the thirtieth minute. Until then it had been a tight game with both defences coming out on top.
Brockworth had a man sent off after receiving a yellow card shortly before Old Pat’s took the lead. A well worked move up the left flank was finished off clinically by Jared Nuttall, Sam Rhymes made the conversion to give the Cheltenham side a small 7-3 advantage. Nuttall’s glory was short lived. From the kick off Brockworth attacked with gusto and Nuttall was left with no other decision than to foul his counterpart. The Badgers on the goal line at the time gave them a penalty try and sent Nuttall to the sin bin with his own yellow card.
The two side were not holding back in the second half of the opening half with many a hard tackle made and taken with the same ferocity. Again the black and white side from Gloucester were probably the better side with Old Pat’s looking slow to get to the break downs. It was looking like a very close half until with virtually the last kick of the half Old Pat’s took the lead with a converted try. Our own Alumni Sam Rhymes had his kicking boots on and was 2 from 2. The half time whistle blew with the visitors trailing 10-1.
The second half started with a bang both side not giving an inch. A scuffle saw Brockworth receive their second yellow card of the game. Then a move that would grace any 6 nations match, Lucas Town ran most of the Brockworth half before slipping a sublime reverse pass to Aodha Hessian who cruised past the baffled defence. Another two tries would follow with Town again doing the hard yards before feeding Archie Long putting the game beyond Brockworth.Town then helped himself to a try this time created by team mate to cap off his man of the match performance which was warranted if only for the reverse pass and vision in the first half.
The 5 points were vital and this was much needed to keep them in touch with league leaders Gordon League as they thrashed Coney Hill 66-18 while this game was being played out.This sets the season up for a delicious finish with 4 games remaining it could all come down to an all to play for final game against the league leaders. “we got the result and more importantly the 5 points but there is work to do judging by that performance” remarked skipper Rhymes after the game. Rhymes continued “Ithought Lucas had butchered the move but then he pulled off a great pass and then unfortunately celebrated which was disssapointing. No but joking aside these lower to mid table sides are going to want to come here and throw us off the title chase. So that was a good grinding win here today.
The seasons ending is going to be a thriller for The Old Patesians RFC.
