Match Report 9 February 2008
Avonvale 2nd XV 41 Cooper Avon 4th XV 19
Team Sheet
- Steve Green
- Marco Borto
- Scott Hamilton
- Simon Harris
- Jamie Smith
- Paul Richardson
- Jerome Blanche
- Dave Ellis
- Luke Holmes
- Steve Vowles
- Johnny Keir
- John Jeffries
- Ben Gifford
- Matt Timbrell
- Damien Biswell
Replacements
Steve Mayell, Joel Bunting
Scorers
Keir - 3 Tries
Hamilton - 3 Tries
Bunting - 1 Try
Holmes - 4 Conv
Avonvale fielded a 2nd team for the first time in 2 years and came away with an emphatic victory against Melksham 4ths. With a mixture of old heads and young players Vale made the early running and scored a try through wing Johnny Keir.
Melksham responded with a try of their own and took a 2 point lead with the conversion. Vale's policy of trying to keep the ball alive worked wonders as Keir roared in for 2 more tries and wing forward Scott Hamilton scored a great individual try with a breakout from his own 22.
The second half started much the same as the first with Vale running the ball whenever the chance arose, Hamilton helped himself to 2 more tries and his fellow wing forward Joel Bunting scored the last.
Four of the tries were converted by scrum half Luke Holmes who had a great game marshalling his older forwards around and coolly slotting into fly half when captain Steve Vowles had to leave the field with a blood injury.
Melksham went down fighting though and scored 2 tries of their own for a final scoreline of 43 - 19. Both teams must be applauded for a fine game which was played in the right spirit.