Impressive Glaws extend their winning streak

Could this be the real deal, are Gloucester close to becoming the team they used to be after a couple of years of inconsistency, frustration and lack of achievement? Coach Bryan Redpath hinted that he believes this could be the case with his ecstatic reaction to his team’s 18-16 win at Northampton, describing the result and the performance as a statement of intent.

Glaws battled their way to a fourth away win on the trot with a fine all-round professional display that made sure Northampton’s desperation to end their poor run failed to produce a result in front of their own fans.
The conditions weren’t good, but Glaws adapted to them well and were clearly the better team.
Redpath told the BBC: “We were outstanding at times. Players need to start believing they are not a bad side. All the boys, on and off the pitch, are doing themselves proud.
“Conditions like this take all the talent away and it then requires a team ethic a work ethic that is second to none and that comes from our mentality.
"It's a massive statement of intent but I'm aware of where we are and aware of where they are too.
"We're doing the basics well, not getting too panicky, worrying, or getting over excited and carried away.
"I thought we handled the conditions very well in the first half, Nicky kicked well and we took two opportunities that came our way.
"Sometimes you tend to panic and kick the ball away in wind like that, worrying too much about territory but I thought we balanced that well in the first half."
Jonny May’s two first-half tries laid the foundations for the win, Nicky Robinson converting the first and also kicking two penalties later on in another display that will have many cherry and whites wondering why he is being allowed to leave.
Saints actually took the lead at 13-12 early in the second half when Greig Tonks scored, but Robinson’s two penalties clawed the game back for Glaws.
Jim Mallinder says he and Northampton are still confident of making the top four. If that’s true, then Glaws have every right to expect to beat that aim after their dramatic and much-needed revival since they started 2011 with an awful defeat at Leeds.
And the next test of that revival comes on Saturday when another team in top form at the moment, Bath, make the short trip to Kingsholm looking for revenge after their Rec defeat early in the season and to close the four-point gap on third-top Glaws.
What a prospect – and who would have through it after that New Year’s Day disaster in Yorkshire. Perhaps it really was the kick up the backside Glaws needed.