LYDNEY welcomed a new signing from Clifton in centre Kieran Griffiths as they sought their fourth derby win in Regional One.
The small squad is still depleted with numerous long term injuries with Harrison Fowke the latest casualty, writes Roger Pike.
The hosts were really up for revenge and went on to dominate a game playing with passion and helped by some poor Lydney play particularly in the line outs.
Cents were on top from the start andLydney were soon 12 points down from which they never really recovered.
Playing down the slope early in the second period Lydney were briefly back in the game but some poor options and mistakes soon gifted the hosts further scores which ended the game as a spectacle.
Lydney started the game playing up the slope and were penned in their 22 for the opening encounters.
The Severnsiders started to concede numerous penalties and just could not get out of their own half.
The hosts were having all the possession and, with 10 minutes gone, they kicked a penalty back to the corner.
Winning the line out, Cents created a series of forward drives with Mike Mathers crossing to give them a 5-0 lead.
The Gloucester side continued to enjoy the momentum and the Severnsiders,with no answer for the sustained attacks, were soon conceding further penalties and were back on the five-metre line.
Another forward drive produced the same result with Mathers scoring and Harry Preese kicking the extras for 12–0 after just 20 minutes.
The hosts still looked the more dangerous and a knock-on and a lost line out saw them spurn further good scoring chances.
Lydney finally started to put some moves together and had opportunities to get back into the game, however the defence held firm.
Another attack saw the forwards got a drive going into the 22 which scrum-half Tom Broady spun out to the backs for winger Mike Cross to make it 12 – 5.
A high tackle saw the hosts down to 14 but Lydney could not take advantage without any decent spells of possession and the half ended. This probably was a good result for Lydney at the break with little possession and the benefit of playing down the slope in the second period.
The Severnsiders upped their game at the start of the second period but mistakes in open play and lost line out ball continued to negate any early scoring opportunities.
Any recovery did not last long with the hosts forwards back on a good set of drives which soon led to another score converted by Preese which made it 19-5 on the hour mark.
The home side continued to dominate and the Severnsiders woes continued with full-back Alex Nelmes sent to the bin for obstruction.
The hosts kept to their simple game plan using their big forwards who rumbled over again under the posts for an easy Preese conversion to virtually end the contest at 26-5.
Lydney did come back into the game in the last 10 minutes, but the game was already gone.
A good set of forward drives eventually saw Rob White on his 50th game for Lydney score for 26-10.
The Severnsiders did have further opportunities to score again but more mistakes cost them when close to the try line.
The game ended 26 -10 and Lydney will need to regroup and get back to winning ways as a tough home game against Ivybridge awaits on Saturday (February 4).
Coach Paul Kiely said: “A frustrating day, they just wanted it more and we gave a very poor first half performance by our standards.
“We made far too many errors, and our line out was poor so we just could not get enough possession to put any pressure on or create anything.
“Importantly we kept going in the second half but again the same errors stopped us getting back into the game.
‘‘Our young side will learn from this and we will be working hard in training this week as a big game back at Regentsholme next week against Ivybridge awaits.’’
Lydney: Gareth Winter, Rob White, Jack Spencer (c), Mike Massey, Phil Williams, Joe McClean, Liam Downer, Harry Brown, Tom Broady, Jake Hanley, Mike Cross, Henry Sleeman, Kieran Griffiths, Sami Hamid, Alex Nelmes. Replacements James Baylis, Luke Hudson , Mars Slee.