Gloucestershire Premier

Berry Hill 15-18 St Mary’s Old Boys

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BERRY Hill were agonisingly edged out by second-placed St Mary’s Old Boys, a result which keeps the Forest side around the fringes of the Gloucestershire Premier relegation zone.

Although the game was transferred to Gloucestershire College at Five Acres because Lakers was unplayable due to frost, it was fog that was the biggest threat to the game with one set of posts barely visible from the other.

The Hillmen exerted the early pressure but the visitors from

Almondsbury worked their way in with their backs looking more dangerous.

The Berry Hill defence was finally breached as half-time loomed, with an unconverted try giving St Mary’s a 5-0 advantage at the break.

The deficit was reduced within five minutes when Kieron Aston kicked a penalty.

Hill found themselves further behind when, after a sustained period of pressure, St Mary’s went over for another, unconverted try.

When the Old Boys went over for a third try to make it 15-3, the game should have been over as a competitive struggle – but the Hillmen are nothing if not full of character.

A break by scrum-half Greg Jordan was finished with him crossing the whitewash himself. Aston’s conversion attempt hit the post.

The addition of ex-Lydney hooker and current coach Ben Lewis seemed to give Hill a further boost and the home side were coming more into the game.

A yellow card for Mary’s prop Joe Pritchard – judged to have made a high tackle – meant the visitors were down to 14 men for the last 10 minutes.

Hill took advantage to score another try, this time through Angus Roberts – although the extra points went begging.

Although it had not been an afternoon for the kickers, heartbreak for Hill came from the boot after they conceded a penalty in the 22.