Cryptians Dig Deep for Bonus-Point Win in Testing Conditions

This weekend’s fixture was one for the purists, with wind and rain taking centre stage for players and supporters alike. A huge thank you to our VPs who braved the miserable conditions to cheer the lads on from the sidelines!

With a greasy ball and a roaring wind, it was always going to be an old-school, *up-the-jumper* kind of afternoon. Expansive rugby was firmly off the menu, with early exchanges characterised by crunching collisions, plenty of physicality and both sides showing plenty of dog. Handling errors were inevitable in the conditions, keeping the forwards busy and resulting in a number of early scrums.

Ledbury started with real grit and determination, producing some dominant hits and sweeping defensive plays to keep Cryptians at bay and the scoreboard untouched. However, it was only a matter of time before a moment of individual brilliance broke the deadlock.

That moment came courtesy of George Perrins, who produced a barnstorming carry from inside his own half. Showing tremendous strength and pace, George broke through the defensive line, drew the final defender and delivered a perfectly timed pass for Ben Higgins to cross the whitewash. Will Trumper added the extras to give Cryptians the first points of the afternoon.

With the breakthrough made, Cryptians began to find their feet. Will Trumper was next to get in on the action, dancing down the wing to score a try of his own and extend the advantage.

Ledbury refused to lie down, however, and responded with a try of their own following some determined forward play in the corner. But Cryptians had the answer. Will Trumper produced another moment of magic, executing a perfectly judged chip-and-chase to gather the ball and claim his second try of the afternoon, restoring some breathing room for the home side.

As the second half got underway, the weather took another turn for the worse, making an already challenging afternoon even more attritional. Ledbury continued to battle valiantly, despite having no replacements available, while Cryptians worked hard to maintain their advantage in increasingly difficult conditions.

With the game becoming a war of attrition, points were at a premium. However, some quick thinking from Bret Bennett injected a spark into the closing stages as he took a quick-tap penalty to put Cryptians on the front foot. Following a jack-back, captain Jerome Vidgen picked out Bret once more, whose delicate pass found Ryan Godwin bursting through a gap to score Cryptians’ fourth and final try of the afternoon.

Tom Rees added the finishing touch by slotting the final points of the match, sealing a hard-earned **24–5 victory and a valuable bonus point** for Cryptians.

It was far from a day for champagne rugby, but in conditions that demanded toughness, patience and determination, Cryptians delivered when it mattered. Four tries, a bonus point and a job well done!

Full-time: Cryptians 24–5 Ledbury 2nd XV