Lydney clinched this exciting local derby and a home play-off match for promotion with a late penalty from fullback Adam Westall but the Pats had a penalty with the last kick of the game only for flyhalf Jon Steckbeck’s kick to slide just wide of the post. This was a hard physical encounter with nothing much between the sets of forwards although the experienced visitors front row caused problems throughout for the young Pats front row.

Playing with the wind and slope Lydney opened the scoring with a try, credited to flanker Adrian Knox, after a rolling maul from a lineout close to the home line. Steckbeck replied with a penalty for the Pats but the visitors increased their lead with another rolling maul try, this time by flanker Gavin Groves. Westall added the extra points but the Pats stormed back to close the gap to two points when a neat lineout move deceived the visitors defence and second row James Stickland crashed over with Steckbeck converting. However, Lydneys front row had the last word in the first half when a scrummage 5 metres out went up in the air the Argentinian referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try which Westall duly converted to give a 10-19 scoreline at the break.

The second half started with a Pats forward drive to the visitors 22 and Steckbeck coolly dropped a goal. Midway through the half Pats centre Ed Crampton caused chaos in the Lydney defence and Steckbeck was on hand to take the final pass to give a one point deficit. The game was nip and tuck now and it was Pats who took the initiative and the lead. Centre Ben Matthews gathered a loose ball cut between two Lydney defenders who collided with each other and set winger Neal Ainscow free to score under the posts. Steckbeck converted to give Pats a six point lead with 15 minutes to go. Lydney introduced talisman Regan Turoa from the bench and his surging run caused Pats to concede a penalty kicked by Westall and on the half hour a further Westall penalty levelled the scores at 25 apiece before the drama of the last few minutes unfolded.

Report provided by Hugh Etheridge