Cinderford United 28,
Bream 14
THIS friendly at Cinderford on Saturday gave both sides an opportunity to try youngsters and – though they lost – was particularly welcomed by Bream.
Presently coached by club president Clive James who describes himself as "an old player who can't leave it alone" , Bream need a strong finish to the season and James was running the rule over some first XV contenders ahead of a tough finish to the season in Gloucester Division One.
This week Bream hope to decide on a new coach following the decision of Kevin Rosser to step down.
Rosser had put the club back on course after a rocky time at the end of last season.
"We almost folded," admitted James.
"But now we have some very good youngsters and enough players to run two sides. The biggest problem is finding regular games for the second XV," he said.
Bream made a sparkling start to this season but have slipped back to mid-table - a position from which they hope to launch a bid to end up in the top six league positions.
But they can't afford many slips - "the structure of the leagues keeps changing and as many as five teams could go down so we have to watch ourselves," says James.
Skippered by Shaun Gibbs, back at Bream after a spell at Cinderford, Bream will be looking to the emerging skills of youngsters like full back David Hartwell and forwards David James and Matthew James to take them into next season.
And that promises to be a really important one for the club because it will be their 125th anniversary, making it the oldest in the Forest.