GLOUCESTERSHIRE PREMIER

Drybrook 36, Hucclecote 12

HAVING been in the thick of rugby action all his life, Drybrook coach Pete Jones knows full well the test his team will face at Spartans this Saturday.

The Gloucester club has recruited heavily throughout the summer and will field a vastly experienced side against the Forest boys.

"But money can't buy commitment," says Jones. "We will be going up with the right attitude – we will respect them but we will not be frightened of them."

Jones's Drybrook had an unexpected reversal in the opening game of the season at Cirencester.

"We just didn't play. We had a couple of scores disallowed but the fact is we need more consistency. We play brilliantly or poorly ... what we need to be is more ruthless. For instance we were 29-5 up at half time against Hucclecote and changed end with the advantage of the wind and the slope but we managed only one more score," he said.

Jones will be putting his team through their paces this week in the knowledge that they can afford only two more defeats this season if they are to challenge for league honours.

Come next April it could boil down to a battle between Spartans and Drybrook and Jones wants to keep his team on the boil so they make the most of every chance that comes their way.

The team is missing a couple of regulars in Danny Griffiths and Dale Critchley who are playing in Australia but Jones is encouraged by the form of several youngsters, among them Lee Ward who can play in the back-row or on the wing.

Another bonus has been the emergence of young prop Tom Reed. Jones says he has improved rapidly especially now he is putting greater effort into training.

Saturday's victory over Hucclecote was encouraging, say Jones.

"But again we played well in patches. When we were good we were excellent but we do have periods when we lose concentration," he said.

Tries came from captain and centre Chris Rawlings, while winger Lee Ward ran strongly for two more. In the second half Clayton Ryder produced an individual effort to complete the try scoring with the rest of the points coming from the boot of Chris Rawlings.