DRYBROOK moved into second place in Regional Two Severn with an 89-5 demolition of Swindon to end the year on a high at The Mannings.

Conditions were not the best and, had it been a dry day with firmer conditions under foot, the margin of victory could well have been a lot more, writes Chris Tingle.

Swindon came to the Forest firmly rooted to the bottom of the table with no wins from their 11 games this season.

The game finished with 10 Drybrook players having crossed the whitewash with Mitch Bourne leading the way with three tries.

In total, Drybrook scored an incredible 16 tries.

There were two tries each for Bradley Morgan, Haydn Lewis and CJ Taylor with Mitch Bourne, Ryan Chappell, Sam Peaper, Luke Roberts, Cai Rogers and Matt Tinker all claiming one score each.

The home side started strongly and after 25 minutes they had already scored the four tries which gave them the bonus point.

Left wing Bradley Morgan opened the rout with a well taken try and then scrum-half Cai Rogers went in following a chip through, fly-half Haydn Lewis and centre Mitch Baldwin added further scores with Lewis adding two conversions to make the score 24-0.

Before the break Morgan, Lewis and Baldwin had all added to their try tally with Ryan Chappell also crossing the Swindon line to make it a full house for the three-quarter line.

Lewis added one conversion before Swindon grabbed a consolation try on the stroke of half-time.

The teams went into the interval with Drybrook holding a commanding 41-5 lead.

The second half started in much the same way as the first and within a quarter of an hour Drybrook had moved onto 60 points. Chappell had his second try, Baldwin his third with captain Mitch Bourne adding another.

The home team were dominant in all areas of the game and the only question was whether or not they would cross the century mark.

To their credit the Wiltshire side kept trying and their players were determined to keep the score in double, rather than treble, figures.

C J Taylor had come on to make his home league debut and helped himself to a brace of tries.

Full-back Matt Tinker got on the end of fine move to grab a score and more five-pointers were added by Luke Roberts and flanker Sam Peaper.

Lewis converted four of the scores and Drybrook finished the game with a total of 89 points.

Finn Watkins, another player off the Drybrook production line, made a fine debut and with players still to come back from injury, Drybrook look to be in a great place to go into 2025.

The first game of the New Year will be a much sterner test away at Trowbridge on Saturday, January 4.

The win over Swindon saw Drybrook leapfrog the Wiltshire side to go second, and celebrate the festive season in style.

They are now on 48 points, two points ahead of Trowbridge and eight points behind leaders Chippenham.

Trowbridge have scored the most points at hone this season with 313 but Drybrook’s 116 points is the lowest number conceded on the road.

Drybrook will be looking for a repeat of the performance and result when they met Trowbridge at The Mannings in October, emerging 37-13 winners against the previously undefeated visitors.

Drybrook (v Swindon): Dean Jelf, Mikey Addis, Louis Morgan, Jack Moss, Finn Watkins, Bailey Watts, Sam Peaper, Mitch Bourne (capt), Cai Rogers, Haydn Lewis, Luke Roberts, Bradley Morgan, Mitch Baldwin, Ryan Chappell, Matt Tinker. Bench: Casey Morgan, CJ Taylor, Finn Smith.