It was a strange game in the opening half hour when nearly all the action was in the home side’s half. The visitors dominated both possession and territory but but were unable to turn this dominance into points as their play often lacked accuracy and the ability to break through the home side's well organised defence.

Clifton's pack was impressive at scrum time and in the loose but they struggled at the line out.

It was very much against the run of play when the home side went in front on the half hour. They produced some excellent continuity play which ended with No 8 Joe Touna diving in under the posts with winger Olly Turner converting.

Clifton replied immediately when centre James Newey landed a penalty and he followed this up by making a clean break to cross for a try which he also converted to give his side a 3 point half time lead.

The early stages of the second half followed the pattern of the first but the game came alive when in the 53rd minute Clifton produced a move which ended with lock Mike Uren crossing for an unconverted try. Two minutes later flanker Mike Luxton crossed for a try converted by Newey.

On the hour back row man Andy Chesters made ground before setting up the position for lock John Hawkins to cross under the posts for the bonus point try which Newey converted.

The reward for the impressive display by the pack came when at a scrum close to the try line they shunted the home pack over the line at the rate of knots with scrum half Mitch Spencer on hand to touch down as the ball squirted out of the side of the scrum.
The home side came alive in the final minutes and winger Matt Killen crossed for a deserved consolation try.

The highlight of the game was the powerful display of Clifton's front five who again dominated the opposition and the home side were perhaps fortunate not to concede a number of penalties.

Congratulations to Alex Giltrow who was awarded this week's Clifton Sausage man of the match.

SCORERS
London Irish
Tries: Touna, Killen
Con: Turner

Clifton
Tries: Newey, Uren, Luxton, Spencer, Hawkins
Con: Newey 3
Pen: Newey 1