Tribute South West One – Drybrook 12-15 Newent

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NEWENT edged out a Drybrook side that played periods of the second half with only 13 men on the field.

Despite that, the home side was unfortunate to finish the game with just a losing bonus point as Newent held on for the slender victory.

Newent are now third in Tribute South West One while Drybrook are mid-table in seventh.

The first scoring opportunity fell to Drybrook after the visitors were caught off-side but Tom Treherne’s penalty went wide.

Joe Goatley opened the scoring with a penalty for Newent and flanker George Phelps increased the lead with a try after a scrum deep in Drybrook territory.

Goatley made the lead 10 points with the conversion but that seemed to galvanise the home side who came back strongly.

Forced to defend a series of penalties to the corner, Newent’s discipline cracked and they played 10 minutes with 14 men.

Number eight Mitch Renton grabbed the ball at a disrupted Newent scrum to reduce the deficit to five and Treherne added the extras to give Drybrook real hope.

With 35 minutes gone it was Drybrook’s turn to see a player sent to the bin but the turning point of the game came with the dismissal of try-scorer Renton.

Renton got his marching orders for throwing a punch but the home support was incensed, claiming that the incident started with a kick from a Newent player which went unpunished.

With a capacity crowd at The Mannings behind them, Drybrook started the second half positively with a catch and drive setting up Danny Price for the try which went unconverted.

Drybrook began to give away penalties and prop Todd Clarke saw yellow as the referee made his displeasure known.

Phelps grabbed his second try to put Newent noses ahead and then it was a case of the visitors kicking deep and closing down the hosts to protect the fragile lead.