A Win Is A Win

It may not have been the most enthralling game - as the BT commentators constantly reminded us with  thinly disguised sneers - but we needed a win and we got it ...

After a very flat first half we eventually  got some play going and an excellent first try from Henry Purdy was followed by another from Steve McColl.

In the end the  21-9 win was well deserved against a dogged Irish side with Matt Kvesic simply outstanding and Gareth Evans celebrating his first appearance of the season with a tremendous effort.

Greg Laidlaw got the only points of the first half thanks to a penalty, but the game finally came alive in the second period thanks to a great off load from Mark Atkinson. He sent McColl through a gap and in turn he set  Purdy away down the left wing to go in at the corner. It was a bit of a relief.

The excellent Tom Savage then showed great athleticism to chase a charge down but the ball just went dead.

McColl's clinching score came when he got on the end of a superb grubber kick to the corner from James Hook.

Job done, points won, let's save the entertainment for Kingsholm

Irish: T Homer; A Lewington, F Mulchrone, S Geraghty (capt), J Short, C Noakes (E Griffin 45), S Steel (D Allinson 50), T Court, D Paice, G Cross (L Halavatau 50), S Cox, K Low (H Aulika 50), J Sinclair, B Cowan (D Leo 75), O Treviranus

Pens: Geraghty (3)

Gloucs: S McColl, C Sharples, B Meakes, M Atkinson, H Purdy, J Hook, G Laidlaw; Y Thomas, R Hibbard (A Lutui 50), J Afoa, T Savage, T Palmer (E Stooke 70), S Kalamafoni, M Kvesic, G Evans (R Moriarty 60)

Tries: Purdy, McColl

Cons: Laidlaw (1)

Pens: Laidlaw (3)