Hornets registered their first away victory since October, winning 38-12 at Stroud.

HORNETS made their way to Stroud looking for their first victory on the road since October.

Still buzzing from the previous weeks efforts and knowing that Stroud were having a difficult time, confidence was high.

However, the scoreline may not suggest it, but they had a tougher afternoon than expected. In a week where the top two sides in the league both lost, a six try victory and further bonus point were well deserved.

It was 10 minutes before the first try was scored. Matt Cornish, with his 11th try in as many games, broke through some weak tackling to get his side off the mark. The conversion was missed, but Hornets were on their way.

The second score followed five minutes later as a move which started just inside their own half saw the ball passed around between backs and forwards, before Kirk Middlemiss found the gap and went in under the posts. Sam Lloyd-Jones added the conversion and Hornets led 12-0.

The floodgates could have opened at this point, with Stroud forced to make changes, but their resolute defence saw them fight hard to stay in the game.

James Collings was next to score as he crossed the line from scrum-half to touch down his first 1st XV try of the season. Lloyd-Jones again slotted the conversion. The score remained at 19-0 through to half-time.

The second period started as the first had finished with Hornets piling on the pressure and Stroud knocking them down.

Unfortunately though for the home side they were slightly over zealous on a couple occasions as Hornets pressed for the line and the referee awarded a penalty try on 50 minutes to give Hornets the bonus point. Lloyd-Jones was successful again with the extras.

The hosts refused to lie down though and were soon causing problems in the visitors defence as they crossed for their first try. The conversion was missed, but they were at least rewarded for their efforts.

With Daniel Elliott entering the fray for Ryan Hedges, to make his debut for the 1st XV, Hornets found themselves back on the attack. With Lloyd-Jones coming in from full-back to make the extra man in the middle, he beat his opposite number and went through under the posts, adding the extras himself to take the score to 33-5.

The full-back was soon on hand to complete his sides scoring when a quickly taken penalty was spun out wide and he touched down in the corner, taking his personal tally for the match to 18, although he missed with the conversion.

Stroud had the final say, scoring a converted try in the dying minutes to give a final score of 12-38.

On Saturday, Hornets welcome Barton Hill to Hutton Moor, against whom they registered their last away victory back in October.

However, the visitors will no doubt be a stronger and more confident outfit this time around as they come off the back of a game where they inflicted only the second defeat of the campaign on league leaders Chard. Kick-off is 2.30pm.