Keynsham keep perfect run going with win at Gordon League

Keynsham had two players sin-binned but still clinched a 26-5 win at Gordon League to make it three-out-of-three in Western Counties North.

Fly-half Paul Edson slotted two first-half penalties to put his side six points clear, but Gordon League pulled back an unconverted try just before the break when Keynsham were reduced to 14 men after full-back Gareth Deere was yellow-carded for persistent infringing.

Despite being a man down, though, Keynsham started the second period in style. Edson's break opened up the Gordon League defence for centre Mark Harwood to touch down. Edson added the conversion.

Deere then marked his return to the pitch with a 22-metre drop goal to put the visitors 15-6 in front.

Edson saw yellow for some back chat, but Keynsham remained on top in his absence, with hard-working lock Owain Wynne and openside Gareth Bowen outstanding before Edson came back on to land a penalty.

And Edson also had the final word when he converted Harwood's try from a well-worked overlap.

Victory put Keynsham up to second in the table.

Top of the league, thanks to a superior points difference, are Barton Hill, who made it three out of three with a 34-7 triumph at Burnham-on-Sea.

Full-back Joe Samson cut a nice line for the visitors' first try, while an overlap was created for winger Ross Baker to touch down. Jack Steer kicked the conversion and then added a penalty following a late challenge which resulted in a yellow card.

Barts continued to pile on the pressure and stretched further clear when centre Dominic Grey showed good pace to run in from halfway, while another Steer penalty made it 23-0 at the break.

Steer took advantage of two more penalty chances early in the second period, while Barts' final try, from replacement centre Wayne Millard, came after Burnham had a second player sin-binned.

Thornbury, meanwhile, suffered a heartbreaking 18-15 setback in their league-Intermediate Cup double-header away to Drybrook, who stole all the honours with a try six minutes into injury time.

It was a case of what-might-have-been for the South Gloucestershire outfit who led 15-5 late in the first half and then battled bravely in the second period despite suffering three sin-binnings.

Wayne Underwood put the visitors in front with a penalty and winger Dan Hussey polished off an opportunist counter-attack from the halfway line for an unconverted try. Drybrook pulled back five points with a try from a rolling maul, but, from the restart, Thornbury claimed a second touchdown when Hussey chip-kicked over the defence and regathered the ball to dive over in the corner. Underwood converted.

Although the home side dominated after the turnaround, it was not until the final seconds that Thornbury cracked when Drybrook claimed a match-winning try.

Old Redcliffians went down 23-19 at Stroud, North Bristol were edged out 39-33 at home to Centralians, despite a hat-trick of tries from Nigel Smith, and Hornets edged out Southmead 17-15.