NEWENT played with pace and precision to score 10 tries at Cheltenham, writes Simon Barker.

Playing on the Tigers’ 4G pitch, Tom Webb opened the scoring from the tee, after Cheltenham were penalised for holding on at a ruck 30m out.

The lead was short lived as Newent were penalised for the same offence from the restart.

Cheltenham kicked to touch 10m out, secured their line-out and drove towards the line but Newent were adjudged to have pulled down the maul as it approached their line and the referee awarded a penalty try and showing Nathan Awford a yellow card.

Newent responded with a fine try as quick recycling and fast hands released right wing Fin Mellis for a run in behind the posts. Tom Webb converted.

Shortly afterwards Mellis distinguished himself in defence, recovering well to make a last ditch tackle which forced his opposing wing Flinn Roberts to lose control of the ball as he dived for the corner.

With the game into its second quarter, Newent were penalised for going off their feet at a ruck 40m out and Tigers’ fly half Curtis Neal kicked the goal to tie up the score at 10-10, but for the remainder of the half Newent produced some exhilarating rugby to take the game away from their hosts.

A relentless multi-phased attack, which saw Jack Devries, Dan Fletcher, Tom Webb and Doug Long stopped just short of the line, ended with Nathan Awford crossing to the right of the posts for a try converted by Webb.

From the restart they won the put-in at a scrum on Cheltenham’s 10m line which Ben Vincent picked up from the back of the scrum and broke down the blindside, to brush off tacklers and crash over in the right-hand corner for a memorable solo score.

Doug Long was tackled into touch just short of the same corner in Newent’s next attack and Cheltenham won their lineout and cleared downfield.

Mellis ran the kick back into their 22 and more quick recycling created space for left wing Nathan Brooks to touch down in his corner for the bonus point try but Webb’s conversion attempt bounced back off an upright.

Newent were penalised from the restart and Cheltenham kicked to touch 20m out.

The ball was tapped back on the hosts’ side, but Jordan Devries was quickest to the loose ball and launched another attack.

Josh Preston’s perfectly executed cross-kick put in Nathan Brooks in the left-hand corner, but in a repeat of the incident in the opposite corner earlier in the game he didn’t ground the ball properly under pressure from a tackler.

The fifth try wasn’t long in coming, however. Another multi-phased attack ended with Ben Vincent entering the line and bursting through several tackles to touch down for his second try. Tom Webb converted to make the score 10-34 at the interval.

Sam Allford replaced Josh Preston at No 9 for the second half, when Newent increased their lead from the restart – Doug Long being quickest to touch down a loose ball behind the Tiger’s line following a strong carry from Jordan Devries.

Devries’s twin Jack led an excellent chase of Tom Webb’s kick to set up a try under the posts for outside centre Will Hartland, converted by Webb.

Another kick-chase and a strong carry from Dan Fletcher set up a further scoring opportunity, but for once in the game Newent’s handling let them down and the chance was lost.

Cheltenham responded with a try from right wing Ryan, who supported a great break by loose-head prop Jake Leonard-Walters from a quickly taken penalty. Curtis Neal kicked a good conversion to reduce the deficit to 17-46.

Newent attacked again from the restart. Ben Kindred was held up over the line, but Cheltenham’s drop-out was run back and Nathan Brooks cut a fine line to streak in behind the posts for a try converted by Webb.

The Green Army were in relentless mood and once again came straight back from the restart, Doug Long finishing off another sweeping move by touching down in the left-hand corner for his second try.

A concerted Tigers attack was well defended until Matt Henry won a turnover inside the Newent 22. Another kick clearance was chased down by Jordan Devries, who carried into the home 22 before releasing Sam Allford for a run under the posts for his first try for the senior XV. Webb’s conversion took the score to 17-65.

With the visitors’ previously excellent concentration and discipline fading away, Cheltenham were rewarded with late tries from Jake Leonard-Walters and Curtis Neal Neal’s touchline conversion of his own try concluded the scoring.

Newent: D Long; N Brooks, W Hartland, D Fletcher (capt.), F Mellis; T Webb, J Preston; N Awford, F Nottingham, D Boon; M Henry, Jack Devries; B Kindred, Jordan Devries, B Vincent. Replacements: L Williams, L Oakey, S Allford.