The last time these two sides met at Painswick Road the game was very different in many ways; it was a lot wetter and the sides were first and second in the league. This did not diminish the importance of the game to either side. Both had all to play for but for different reasons, Bracknell to maintain the race for a promotion play off spot and Old Cents to amass enough points to avoid relegation.

On a sunny day in Gloucester the game started with Bracknell playing with the breeze in the first half.

It was Bracknell that had the first chance to put some points on the board but Ben Nowak’s penalty attempt just going wide.

It was Old Cents that opened the scoring on the 20 minute mark. With their first sustained pressure in Bracknell territory, Old Cents centre Rob Jones broke Bracknell’s line to score, which was converted. 7-0.

It was taking time for Bracknell to get the journey out of their system. With 10 minutes remaining in the half, from a line out, the Bracknell pack drove a maul towards the Old Cents line allowing George Milligan to score. Ben Nowak missed the resultant conversion.

With almost the final play of the half Bracknell were awarded a penalty in front of the Old Cents posts. This was a double blow for Old Cents as they lost a player to the sin bin and Ben Nowak was able to kick the penalty to make the score 7-8 at half time.

It was not long into the second half the Old Cents regained the lead with a penalty kicked by Ollie Locke.

Bracknell rallied and a quick tap penalty taken by Chris Brember within the Old Cents 22, allowed Ben Yates to score in the corner, Ben Nowak scoring the conversion from the touch line.

Old Cents responded, and a rampaging trust from the Old Cents pack saw the Old cents prop, James Elliott, bushing off tackles to score under the post, the conversion was kicked. This game was not over.

On 55min mark Kenny Barry scored off a driving maul which started from outside the 22,much to the great delight to the assembled Bracknell fans. Ben Nowak kicked the conversion.

With Old Cents centre, Rob Jones, in the sin bin Ben Yates scored his second try of the day from broken play, and earned Bracknell a bonus point. Another fine conversion from Ben Nowak followed, who by now had got his range and was producing a remarkable kicking display from the kicking tee.

Bracknell’s supporters assumed that this was ‘game over’. Old Cents had not given the game up and following a period on intense pressure on the Bracknell try line, Old Cents scrum half Connor Gwilliam scored a try under the posts, which was converted.

From the kick off Bracknell failed to secure the ball. Some unnecessary indiscipline meant the Old Cents had one more chance to attack Bracknell, although much to the relief travelling mass of Bracknell supporters they failed to take advantage and Bracknell saw out the game.

With Lydney’s 71-17 win over Chippenham they are now confirmed as champions, and many congratulations to them. Redingensians failed to secure a bonus point in their win over Amersham & Chiltern, which means their lead over Bracknell is down to four points with three game to go.

Next Saturday is the final 1XV league home game of the season vs Newton Abbot (KO 3pm), there is a pre-match lunch (Contact Wardy for details) so please come and cheer on the lads in this final outing at Lily Hill this season.

GOBRFC!

Bracknell 1:Jonny Mirza 2:Stuart Silvester 3:Ken Dowding 4:Leo Bailey 5:Kenny Barry 6:Jonny Baugh 7:George Milligan 8:Nico Maybury (C) 9:Lewis Franklin 10:Joe Price 11:Ben Yates 12:Ben Nowak 13:Chris Brember 14:Ian Burch 15:Stuart Mackay Subs Barry Dwyer, Ollie Taylor Jack Petelo, Martin Radford