Longlevens bounced back in style from last week’s disappointing defeat to Old Cents with an emphatic 65–26 victory over Thornbury at Longford Lane. This was a much-improved performance, showcasing greater fluency in attack and a more organised defensive effort — though the side will admit there’s still room for improvement, particularly in their first-up tackling.
The hosts dominated the opening forty minutes, running in six tries while conceding just one to take a commanding 36–7 lead into the break. Despite the scoreline, place-kicking proved problematic all afternoon, with several players sharing the duties and only five conversions landed from eleven attempts.
The second half saw Longlevens continue their attacking momentum, adding five more tries to their tally. However, a lapse in concentration allowed Thornbury to cross the line three times, earning the visitors a bonus point and slightly taking the shine off an otherwise strong display.
Wingers Isaac Meredith and Alfie Turner each grabbed a brace, while returning full back Tom Evans, fresh from Australia, made a spectacular impact with a hat-trick. Further tries came from Piers Fortey, Jaiden Vance, Tom Barton, and Dave Edwards, rounding off a comprehensive attacking performance.
While this was undoubtedly a step forward for The Griffins, the coaching team will be urging for greater consistency in both selection and availability as the season progresses. Attention now turns to a tough away trip to league leaders Trowbridge, where Longlevens will look to raise their standards yet again and build on this promising display.
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