BRACKNELL RFC secured a first South West Premier away win of the season as they triumphed 31-18 at Lydney, securing a bonus-point to climb to eight place in the table.

The visitors started the game playing up the slight slope and into the breeze, but Daniel Ap Dafydd’s men opened the scoring with a Vic Hardwick penalty, capitalising on early pressure.

Lydney hit back strongly, though, and were rewarded with an unconverted try from scrum half Sam Arnott.

The Gloucestershire side extended the lead with a try from blindside flanker Kurt Brown, Ollie Locke converting to make it 12-3 at the end of the opening 10 minutes.

Bracknell scored their first try midway through the half when centre Ben Sanderson cut through the defence to dot down under the posts, Hardwicke adding the extras.

And they moved in front when further pressure culminated with Simon Haddad going over for a converted score.

The visitors had Michael Clarke yellow-carded for a high tackle – Locke slotting the penalty to cut the gap to 17-15 – and Bracknell were then reduced to 13 men when Chris Hala’ufia was also sin-binned.

Yet they put in a terrific defensive effort before Gabe Hills grabbed a third try for the Lily Hill men, Hardwicke nudging the conversion over.

Locke landed a penalty to make it 24-18, but Bracknell had the final word with 10 minutes remaining, Jute Tupua dragged down inches from the Lydney try line before Ross MacDougall, seeing a gap, dived over for Bracknell’s bonus-point try. Replacement Chris Laidler added the two points.

Director of Rugby Martin Radford had tweeted a picture of a rainbow before the game, and said: “I’m not sure it was a pot of gold, but we’re delighted with a bonus-point win at what is a difficult place to come. We could not have asked for anymore.”

Bracknell host Ivybridge on Saturday (2.15pm).

  • BASEMENT boys Crowthorne host Hungerford in the BB&O Premier on Saturday (2.15pm).