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Ross-on-Wye kicked off the new season in style with an away win against Gloucester Old Boys in their first game since promotion to the Gloucester Premier league.
After a bruising forward dominated encounter, Ross ran in four tries to register a comfortable victory and get their new league campaign off to a perfect start.
It was important Ross got off to a positive start, and within 5 minutes they were on the scoreboard, from quality scrum ball, No. 9 James Hughes broke right, from the ensuing ruck fly half Gareth Holdsworth chipped the ball through for winger Simon Gwynne to chase he outpaced his opposite number to score wide out on the right but a missed conversion from fly-half Gareth Holdsworth and a drop goal from Old Boys fly-half Gareth Fenwick got the home team back in the game to put the score at 3-5.
Both teams relied on their forwards to do the work up front, the Ross scrum though was dominant, putting Glos Old Boys under a huge amount of pressure, and it was from a scrum that Ross delivered their second score. From a Glos put in the Ross eight drove them off the ball, Mike Davies the Ross no 8, picked up from the base and fed James Hughes, he popped a well timed pass to centre Bas Parker, he cut through the Glos midfield defence before outpacing the cover defence to score.
After Holdsworths earlier failed attempt Ross gave the kicking duties to scrum-half James Hughes who put the ball over and scored a later penalty to put the score at 15-3 as the teams went in at half-time.
Both teams looked tentative early in the second half, with a number of errors from both sides, however Ross were the first to regain their composure and it was No. 8 Mike Davies who added the third try, once again the Ross pack delivered quality scum ball, Mike Davies picked from the base and crashed through two tacklers to score. Hughes stepped back to take the kick from about 35 yards out and coolly slotted the ball over to put Ross 22-3 up.
However, the Old Boys were not going to lie down and after a period of play in the Ross half their hard work paid off with a fantastic sprint for the line from winger Ollie Hutchinson who touched down to get the Old Boys back in the game. A conversion from Fenwick and some passion from the fans saw the team with some renewed hope but these hopes were soon dashed when a period of pressure close to the Old Boys line saw Hughes make a break into space to score. Ross celebrated as he converted his own try to leave the final score at 29-10 and give the away team their first win in the Gloucester Premier league.
The Walford Timber Man of the Match was James Hughes for his all round probing game, capped off with a solo try. Ross want to pass on their congratulations to Ali Hunter-Blair ex Ross winger who scored on his debut for Stourbridge in National League 1 last weekend, Ross RFC wish him all the best for the coming season.
Ross have a friendly against Greyhound next Saturday in Hereford,returning to League Action on the 26th Sept at home to Hucclecote.
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