IT’S party time at Drybrook RFC this weekend as the club celebrates winning Regional Two Severn and returning to Regional One South West.

Entry to the final game of the season –against Stow-on-the-Wold at The Manning on Saturday (April 5) – is free and will be followed by an Aussie-themed party.

Drybrook secured the league title with a an emphatic performance against a good Longlevens side, to win 52-13 writes Chris Tingle.

This has been an extraordinary effort from the players t, they have only lost two games, and have produced some fantastic rugby both in attack and defence this season.

A good crowd gathered to cheer on their team and were soon in buoyant mood as Mitch Baldwin opened the scoring with a typically bombastic burst to go over close to the posts.

Haydn Lewis made no mistake with the conversion and the home team were up by seven.

Despite being well on top in the scrum and in control of the game the Drybrook team were struggling to get the ref onside and were penalised throughout the next 20 minutes, at almost every phase of play.

Longlevens took advantage and opened their account with a penalty kick in front of the posts. They then took the lead when the ref awarded a penalty try, as he adjudged the Longlevens player had been impeded, as he chased his own kick over the tryline.

Play was then fairly even up until the 35th minute, when Haydn Lewis latched on to the final pass in a flowing backs move to score in the corner.

They extended their lead when a dropped pass out behind in the Longlevens backs led to an attacking lineout for the home team.

Although the initial catch and drive was halted, the ball was fed back to captain Mitch Bourne who powered over from close range.

On the stroke of half time Longlevens kicked another penalty to bring them back to a one score deficit at 17-13 in favour of Drybrook.

Longlevens started the second half strongly, but great defensive work from the home team, marshalled by Danny Price, kept them at bay and forced them to kick away possession.

Lewis was under the ball and made 40 metres in a scintillating break to take play back into the visitors’ half.

Drybrook piled on the pressure and Brad Morgan sailed through a gap, following his signature show and go, to secure a bonus point try.

Lewis converted and Drybrook had moved into a 24-13 lead.

Drybrook kept the visitors pinned in their own half and after a series of scrums it was captain Bourne who showed his strength to crash through for his second try of the game.

Lewis converted and then scored his second try of the afternoon.

Taking the ball from the forwards he swerved around the defence in Guscott-like fashion to score between the posts.

He converted his own try and Drybrook moved to 38 points and had one hand on the league title.

Longlevens were now only playing for pride and although they never gave in they could find no way back into the game against a determined home team.

The bench had come onto the pitch and once again made an impact with Mitch Hale carrying strongly, Sam Peaper adding pace and Tom Treherne showing he still has plenty to offer at full-back.

Lewis completed his hat-trick with his own version of the show and go following a quick tap penalty from live-wire scrum half Cai Rogers. The conversion was added to take the score to 45-13.

Drybrook passed the half century with the last play of the game.

Rogers made the break before the ball found Baldwin who raced in from 20 metres to salute the crowd before touching down.

Lewis capped another fine display by adding the extra two points, the champagne was opened and Drybrook were celebrating another historic day in their proud history.