A tough week for the Junior Colts A XV ended with a heavy defeat at the hands of an impressive Cheltenham side on Saturday.

Although Sherborne started the stronger, they couldn't make their early dominance count and it was our guests who scored first after ten minutes. Two further tries followed before half time, and there could have been a fourth but for some sharp work by the touch judge, as the teams turned around with Cheltenham 17 points to the good. They certainly hadn't had it all their own way in the first period, with some of the light blue attacking play more fluent and varied than since before half term. However, the power and physicality of the away forwards, not to mention their outstanding full-back, enabled the visiting team to hold sway.

This pattern continued after the restart, as Sherborne's intensified effort was repulsed and returned with interest. Christian P got on the scoresheet, with Hector H providing the extras, and a reshuffle of the half backs also posed Cheltenham some problems, but neither side could quibble at the final score. The home team showed enormous commitment throughout; they were simply overpowered and outgunned by a stronger side but, in the context of the past eight days, this was a brave effort from the boys in blue.

With the exeat coming up, our next match is against Bryanston at home on Thursday; do join us if you can.