Winscombe ran in 10 tries in a comprehensive victory over Bristol Barbarians.

Winscombe 54 pts

Bristol Barbarians 10 pts

WINSCOMBE got off to a perfect start against Barbarians when they scored after just two minutes.

Will Thomas collected the kick-off and sent the ball wide to Callum Stewart on the right wing, from where Jim Rutherford made a break. Louis Hooper was in support to send Steve Pugh over for Winscombe’s opening try.

Thomas collected the restart and this time Hooper and Matt Truscott set up the ball for James Flower to make a break supported by Simon Thompson. When the ball was recycled, Niall Dunkley’s long pass sent Stewart in for the first of his three tries.

Three minutes later, forwards Thomas, Chris Aske, Joe Ford and Stuart Warren inter-passed from the restart to within 10 metres of the goal line. Pugh came into the line and put Owen Howell over for the first of his hat-trick. Pugh added the conversion.

A penalty at the breakdown gave Winscombe a throw-in 10 metres out, caught by Warre, and from the maul, a long pass by Rutherford to Dunkley gave Pugh room to send Stewart over for a bonus point after only 16 minutes.

Lewis Podpadec seized his opportunity from a strike against the head to make over 30 metres. As he neared the goal line, Ford appeared inside him to snap up his first try of the season. Barbarians replied with a try just before the break.

After the break, Winscombe were shocked to concede a try within a minute of the restart. The hosts hit back when Thomas turned over the ball after a line-out and Aske set up a ruck in midfield. With nothing on outside him, Howell cut back inside to score under the posts. Dunkley converted.

Good work by Hooper and Rutherford send Stewart over and then Thomas scored the eighth try. A third strike against the head for Thomas saw Ford break from the base of the scrummage. Jim Merryfield and Flower put Howell in under the posts.

Good running by Ford, Thomas, Flower and Stewart put Barbarians under pressure and when they conceded a penalty Podpadec was away quickly to send Thomas charging over the line for his 21st try of the season with three minutes remaining.