5 points to start the season! #uptheplain

After all the hard work and effort that had gone into pre season, Broad Plain were ready to start the Gloucester 2 league season with the visit of Cheltenham Civil Service.

With a downpour just before kick off, greasy conditions led to numerous handling errors which gave Cheltenham the edge in the early exchanges. Ill discipline around the fringes gave Civil Service the opportunity to take a 3 point lead. Plain struggled to keep possession throughout the first half but an almighty defensive effort kept Cheltenham away from the try line for phase after phase. Eventually, they scored an unconverted try in the left corner from a pick and go. Despite little possession in the half, Broad Plain responded almost immediately from conceding, stringing together 4 or 5 phases to put Grant Bray-Warner in for a try in the corner.

Half time score - Broad Plain 5 - 8 Cheltenham Civil Service.

Having weathered the storm in the first half, Broad Plain stepped up a gear in the second half applying pressure through line speed and aggressive tackling in defence. Despite injury replacement Mike Billingham being sent to the bin for repeated team offences, Samba Ceesay scored two tries, one a weaving run from our 22 and another capitalising on a dropped kick with a grubber kick and chase, that Ross Arnold converted. Further tries came through Ross Arnold collecting an offload from Ali Campbell after he had broken the line, Ben Oaten finishing a clinical 2v1 with an unselfish pass from Mark Thornton and Chris Hudd cutting in from the wing to collect Ross' offload towards the end of the game. Cheltenham had chances in the second half and, on one occasion, got round the Broad Plain defensive line but were stopped by a superb last ditch tackle by Ben Oaten to stop a certain try.

Final score - Broad Plain 34 - 8 Cheltenham Civil Service.

Special mention goes to Man of the Match Tony Labruna who put in an excellent shift playing across the front row, carrying hard in attack, putting in some vital hits and gaining some vital turnovers.
Also, Plank of the Match Craig Eddolls who was so shocked to be in a scoring position that he managed to knock on the simplest of passes from Ross 2 metres from the line!

5 points puts us in 3rd in the very early league table.

#uptheplain