All posts by Arthur Renshaw

Events, Members, Thornbury Running Club

Oldbury 10 Mile race – a big thank you to all our helpers

On behalf of Race Director Ros Rowland and myself we would like to thank all the Club Members who helped out today on the Oldbury 10 Mile race.  Despite it being a perfect day for running we had 29 ‘no-shows’ out of a total of 163 who had entered leaving 134 who started. For those at the start we had an excellently well observed 2 minutes silence in common with other sporting events over this weekend.

A fast race saw 13 runners going sub 60 mins including a Bristol & West Woman for the first time in quite a few years. All the runners appeared very pleased with the course, the marshals, and the general organisation.  An example of a typical comment below….

“Thanks for todays race at Oldbury.  I wanted to send a huge thank you for a really well ran race and the wonderful marshals. Please pass on a big thank you to all of them … was lovely to have so many on the course and the smiley encouraging shout outs

 :))”

Thanks everybody, we now move on to the Riverbank Rollick scheduled for Sun 15th January 2023.

Ros & Arthur

Members, Thornbury Running Club, Uncategorized

Club Weekly Bulletin w/c 18/09 – Big Diary update

Thursday Club Night Leaders

Walking – Val / 5k – Amel / 10 min – Steve / 9 min – Hugh / 8 min – Hannah / 7 min – Paul

All runs now require hi-viz and head torches please.

Tea Rota                                                      

22/9 – Jonathan Hall / 29/9 – Jerry Clothier / 6/10 – Arthur Renshaw / 13/10 – Steve Dimond

What’s On …

  1. Gloucester League Cross Country
    Hannah & Jim G have kindly agreed to be XC Captains again this season. All communications about XC will be in the ‘TRC Cross Country’ WhatsApp group. Not sure if you are in the group? If you didn’t see the message sent Tues 13/9, then you are not in the group. Like to be added to the group? Contact Hannah, Jim G or Kevin W. A full list of XC races and a picture of Lorna is here: https://www.athletics4u.co.uk/cross-country/

2. Leaders
We need more leaders please. We have some long term injuries and leaders changing groups which means we have 3 leaders for the 7 min group, 4 for 8 min, 4 for 9 min, 7 for 10 min and 4 for 12 min. So every group, except 10 min, needs 1 or 2 more leaders to cover for injury, illness, family, work etc. If we don’t get more leaders coming forward we will have to combine groups if we have a leader shortage. If you would like more info, no commitment or obligation, please speak to Kevin W captain@thornburyrunningclub.co.uk

  1. Olveston Fun Run
    This is a great local community event on Sunday 9th October in support of Olveston School with a 5k off road run and a 1k run for younger children. It would be terrific to see a good turnout from the club in club kit. Entry available

18/09/22

Members, Thornbury Running Club, Uncategorized

Club Weekly Bulletin w/c 11/09 – No Emmanuel

Thursday Club Night Leaders

Walking – Val / 5k – Carol Mosses / 10 min – Jim Williams / 9 min – combined with 8’s/ 8 min – Lizzie / 7 min – Rob

Tea Rota                                                      

15/9 – Run & Rehydrate / 22/9 – Jonathan Hall / 29/9 – Jerry Clothier / 6/10 – Arthur Renshaw / 13/10 – Steve Dimond

What’s On …

  1. Oldbury 10 Mile – Sunday 18/9

We are so nearly there, we need a couple of people to act as reserves please sign up here, thank you.  A list of volunteers is shown here if you are not sure if you have volunteered! All volunteers will by now received two e-mails from Arthur with instructions. Arthur would like to have a marshals briefing on Thurs 15/9 at about 8:30 after the Club run at the Run & Rehydrate in Rockhampton please.

We do have a LOT of capacity for more runners so please help increase entries by telling anyone and everyone you know, word of mouth is very powerful. Thank you.

Any Oldbury 10 Mile last minute issues please contact Ros Rowland (07743 257 838) or Arthur Renshaw (07810 300 025)

  1. Run & Pizza

The next Run & rehydrate (run, drink & eat pizza) is on Thursday 15th September at Rockhampton OLD cricket pavilion. (The Common, Rockhamptopn OLD Cricket Pavillion, Lower Stone Road, Rockhampton, GL13 9DX). Please put the date in your diary.

  1. Introduction to Running Course

We have enough interest and people registered to run the next Introduction to Running Course. If you know anyone interested please ask them to contact Carol Mosses beginners@thornburyrunningclub.co.uk The course is 9  weeks from Wednesdays from Oct 5th to Nov 30th at 6:45pm from TLC car park.

  1. Emmanuel Kipruto Bundotich

Full Message from Paul –  Sadly Emmanuel’s visa application has been rejected. Despite the fact that we offered proof of paid airline tickets – out, and return – plus the letter of invitation from TRC; the elite entry to the Bristol Half; proof of where he would stay in the UK, and a letter of recommendation from Athletics Kenya, his application was rejected. We tried hard to understand why this was.    The British Embassy ignored all emails.   There is a hotline to call, but they will only speak to the applicant, i.e. Emmanuel, and in order to speak to someone on the phone you have to type in a credit card and pay 70p per minute.   He does not have a credit card of course.   99% of Kenyans do not. We found a UK guy in Iten willing to dial in and pass the phone over to Emmanuel, only we were told there was no right of appeal, and a new visa application, costing another £180, and another speculative 12 hour round-trip to Nairobi, would be needed.   Others advised that unless Emmanuel had a UK bank account, or family in the country, or a professional contract, there was essentially zero chance of success. So with great reluctance, we have had to cancel his trip.   I find it so dis-spiriting that he could not take up the single chance in his lifetime to do something we, far, far, far, lesser athletes take for granted.  What must his two little boys think when all they hear is that the UK government won’t allow their dad to visit a place they were told was their friend?  So-called ‘global Britain’ is only open to those who are rich it would appear.    Plus ca change. Thank you to all TRC members who expressed an interest in meeting with Emmanuel, training with him, even hosting him in their home.   Thank you to the club committee, and especially Kevin, who made such great efforts themselves to promote and coordinate the trip. I am just sorry that it has all come to nothing.

  1. Gloucester League Cross Country

Summer is over and thoughts are turning to Cross Country! Here are the Glos League fixtures for 2022/3 to put in your Diary.

  1. Sat 5th Nov Cirencester Park
  2. Sat or Sun 10/11 December
  3. Sun 19th Feb
  4. Sun 5th March Cotswold Farm Park

11/09/22

Events, Thornbury Running Club

Oldbury 10 Mile – Volunteers e-mail

Hi All, 

If you have volunteered to help on the Oldbury 10 Mile on Sunday 18th Sept then you should have got an e-mail from me tonight with all the details you need to know.

If you haven’t seen an e-mail then please let me know asap.

The link to the Race Organisation is below

Oldbury 10 Mile 2022 Race Organisation Schedule v5

If you have any questions I will be at Club tomorrow.

Regards

Arthur Renshaw

Members, Thornbury Running Club

Club Weekly Bulletin w/c 04/09 – Oldbury 10 Mile

Thursday Club Night Leaders

Walking – Val / 5k – Carol / 10 min – Arthur / 9 min – Hugh / 8 min – Hannah / 7 min – Nick W

Tea Rota                                                      

08/09 – Mark Rogers / 15/09 – No Tea, Away Day / 22/09 – Arthur Renshaw / 29/09 Jerry Clothier / 06/10 Jon Hall

What’s On …

  1. Oldbury 10 Mile – Sunday 18/9

Thank you very much, the number of marshals has rocketed up to 35 in the past week. We just need 6 more helpers – 2 people for Entries Desk; 1 Bike Marshall; 1 Water Station & someone to do the Sweep Vehicle, please sign up here, thank you.  

I know a few people are not sure if they have volunteered or not. A list of volunteers is shown here. When you volunteer you will have received a thank you e-mail to remind you to put it in your diary.  More info will be sent out later this week if we can fill the final few places.

Arthur would like to have a short Marshals & Helpers briefing meeting (length of the meeting is short, not for short people!) on Thurs 15/9 at about 8:30 after the Club run at the Run & Rehydrate in Rockhampton.

We do have capacity for more runners so please remember to help increase entries by telling anyone and everyone you know, word of mouth is very powerful. Thank you.

  1. Run & Pizza

The next Run & rehydrate (run, drink & eat pizza) is on Thursday 15th September at Rockhampton OLD cricket pavilion. Please put the date in your diary. Ready to run at 19.00 and remember to wear hi-viz tops as it may be getting quite dark when we get back after our runs

  1. Emmanuel Kipruto Bundotich

There has been a snafu with Emmanuel’s visa so there is a strong likelihood that he will now not be able to join us in September. We will update you asap. For the full planned details please read more …

  1. Thanks Mike

As a thank you for all Mike Bennewitz’s work as both Club Treasurer and Health & Safety Officer he was presented with a bottle of bubbly last week. Being Treasurer can be almost a daily job at certain times a year and requires close attention to detail. Mike was able to get a £500 grant from EA when we suspended Club fees for a year. H&S is part of every club activity and was an important part of keeping us running during the various COVID lockdowns.Thanks Mike.

  1. Pete Mainstone Challenge

Following a very successful Severn Bridge 10k for the Club the updated standings in the Pete Mainstone Challenge are shown here. We had 4th place overall – Phil Blackburn, 1st MV45 – Paul Harrod, 1st MV65 – Kevin Wood, 3rd MV, 3rd place MV70+ – Chris Foley and 3rd place men’s team. See Paul’s race report. Next PMC event Stroud half on 23/10.

02/09/22

 

 

 

 

 

 

Members, Results, Thornbury Running Club

NICK WILLIAMS AT THE OCC – AND PETE MAINSTONE CHALLENGE RACE 4

What’s the most competitive race in the world that an amateur runner has a chance to compete in?

You could make a case for one of the big city marathons – London, New York, Tokyo etc. But while they will feature the very best marathon runners on the globe, the vast majority of competitors are ‘the masses,’ as Brendan Foster insisted on calling them.

So how about the Ultra-Trail Mont Blanc, and its sister event the OCC, which is a shorter version of the main event, although that just means the athletes run at a higher intensity. It is 55km of incredibly demanding trail running, at altitude, featuring many sections that are tricky to ski down let alone run. To even have a chance to take part you have to qualify by doing several other long-distance races, and perform at a high level, and then every single athlete that does make it, drawn from nations across the world, is a serious and dedicated ultra-runner.

Huge congratulations to Nick Williams therefore for a monumental effort to come a fraction outside the top 100 in the men’s event. He was the 5th British runner to finish, and many of the runners ahead of him would be professional or semi-professional athletes. Nick looked to be in good form judging by his wins at the TRC club 10k championship, and at the mob match, and it was fantastic to see him put it all together on his favourite trails.

Round 4 of the Pete Mainstone challenge took place at the Severn Bridge 10k. This was an excellent event, organised by the company that still operates the Severn Bridges, and must be the only race in the UK where you get to run on a closed motorway. I was very impressed with the quality of the tarmac. Cut above what you get on the A38.

Compared to what Nick put himself through in the Chamonix Valley, this event was a doddle. However the old Severn Bridge is still deceptively steep, especially as the route took us up and down the slip roads which made the total elevation much more than we’re used to for the shorter 5k parkrun. In fact, there was barely any flat section at all; it was all up or down hill, plus you’re very exposed to even the lightest wind on that bridge, which had a cumulative impact when having to run the first three miles into a headwind. So not a PB course. Yet the race organisers made it a very special event, even if they snuck in a horrible lung-busting 200m climb up a footpath just yards before the finish.

I could tell we were getting close to the finish as you could hear the music from the loudspeakers getting ever louder. Katy Perry was insisting I was a firework – and to be fair my arms do resemble a malfunctioning Catherine Wheel when I get tired. Freddie Mercury was adamant that no one should stop me – oh, but please do!- as I was having such a good time. But that was no longer the case by the 10th kilometre!

TRC recorded some excellent overall results. There were more than 500 runners in the race, and yet we had two runners in the overall top 10, and two age-category winners. Phil Blackburn was the star performer once again, and his time of 37:27 was close to his overall 10k PB which suggests this was an exceptional run even by Phil’s meteoric standards. Hopefully he’ll find a flat 10k on a cool autumn day and go well under 36 minutes. Phil was fourth overall, and only narrowly missed out on a podium place.

Paul Harrod was 9th overall, and first VM45 in 39:57 which was some way off his best. Kevin Wood had an excellent run, cheered on by picnicking family members on the grass verge – a less salubrious al fresco location when the articulated lorries are thundering past, but a lovely spot on Sunday. Kevin was 66th in 47:01 and the clear winner in his age category, and he also took the honours in the age-adjusted rankings for this event. Chris Foley was 113th in 51:34 which is a really fantastic time on that course.

Hugh McPherson was inside the top 200 in a time just outside 56 minutes. Karen Carr just missed out on breaking the one hour mark, but did duck into the top 100 in the women’s race which is an excellent achievement. Liz Baird finished in 63 minutes, and beat 150 runners on the day.

Members, Thornbury Running Club

Club Weekly Bulletin w/c 29/08 – Pizza

Thursday Club Night Leaders

Walking – Val / 5k – Nigel / 10 min – Jim W / 9 min – Hugh / 8 min – Hannah / 7 min – Paul

Tea Rota                                                      

01/09 –  Lorna Chambers / 08/09 – Mark Rogers / 15/09 – Run & Rehydrate / 22/09 – Arthur Renshaw

What’s On …

Oldbury 10 Mile – Sunday 18th Sept

With 3 weeks to go we have 18 marshals of the 49 required. Please sign up ASAP here, thank you.

Please remember to help increase entries by telling anyone and everyone you know, as word of mouth is very powerful. Thank you.

Run & Pizza

The next Run & rehydrate, where we run and then eat pizza, is on Thursday 15th September at Rockhampton OLD cricket pavilion. Please put this in your diary.

Emmanuel Kipruto Bundotich

We are still planning for Emmanuel Kipruto Bundotich from Kenya to join us from 15/9 (this is subject to final visa approval). Whilst in Thornbury he will be running with us on 5 occasions. Two are listed in the ‘What’s On’ above. For full details please read more …

Going up!

Last week I said that  Nick Williams was about to take on the  UTMB OCC, a prestigious international event over 55km, through 3 countries and with 3,000 meters+ of elevation gain. Well Nick did amazingly well and was the 5th UK national to finish in 7:32:46. He was 28th in category and 10th in gender  Results.

Meanwhile, Ros & Jo are tackling the Trans Alpine Run, an eight-day journey across the Alps over 290 kilometres and 17,320 m of positive vertical (vs. 15,730 m of cumulative descent). They are raising monies for MS via JustGiving

Discount Offer

We are collaborating with running underwear and sock brand Runderwear who are giving club members a 15% when you order and quote NICKW15. This offer is available until midnight 31st August 2022, so get shopping. You will receive 15% off all full-priced items on the Runderwear website by entering the unique code NICKW15 at the checkout where it says “add discount code”. This is what Nick will be wearing when he runs UTMB OCC.

28/08/22

 

Members, Thornbury Running Club, Uncategorized

Club Weekly Bulletin w/c 22/08 – Discount Offer

Thursday Club Night Leaders

Walking – Val / 5k – Jim W / 10 min – Ellen / 9 min – Mike / 8 min – Lizzie / 7 min – Rob

Tea Rota                                                      

25/8 – Karen Carr / 01/9 –  Lorna Chambers / 8/9 – Mark Rogers / 15/9 Arthur Renshaw

What’s On …

  • August 28th – Severn Bridge 10k (PMC race #4)
  • September 3rd – parkrun of the month Clevedon Salthouse Fields
  • September 15th  â€“ Run & rehydrate (+ Pizza)
  • September 18th – Oldbury 10 Miles
  • September 20th – ‘Kenyan Tuesday Night Coaching’ session venue tbc
  • September 21st – ‘Drill, Stretches & Core Session’ + ‘Running in Kenya’ with Emmanuel, Callum Jones & Paul – venue Old Down Pavillion
  • October 1st – parkrun of the month Somerdale Pavilion
  • October 9th – Olveston School Run
  • October 23rd – Stroud Half (PMC race #5)
  •  

1. Oldbury 10 Mile – Sunday 18th Sept 

The good news is that, following a review of marshalling, the number of marshals needed has been reduced from 61 to 49. The bad news is we only have 13 so far. Please sign up ASAP here, thank you. We have 84 entrants so far and we need 172 to break even. We have directly contacted all local clubs, used FB, paid FB ads, Instagram, posters …. Please help by telling anyone and everyone you know, as word of mouth is very powerful. Thank you.

2. Going up!

If you thought Thornbury parkrun was undulating, or going up Thornbury Hill the limit of human endurance, spare a thought for the following club member about to embark on a whole new level of running:

Anyone following Nick William’s Strava will have seen he has been going up rather a lot. That’s because he is about to take on the UTMB OCC. This is a prestigious international event over 55km, through 3 countries and with 3,000 meters+ of elevation gain.

Meanwhile, Ros & Jo are tackling the Trans Alpine Run, an eight-day journey across the Alps over 290 kilometres and 17,320 m of positive vertical (vs. 15,730 m of cumulative descent). They are also raising monies for MS via JustGiving  Good luck to Jo, Ros & Nick.

  1. Discount Offer

We are collaborating with running underwear and sock brand Runderwear who are giving club members a 15% when you order and quote NICKW15. This offer is available until midnight 31st August 2022, so get shopping. You will receive 15% off all full-priced items on the Runderwear website by entering the unique code NICKW15 at the checkout where it says “add discount code”. This is what Nick will be wearing when he runs UTMB OCC.

  1. Thornbury 10k Feedback

Thank you to all those who took the time to send feedback about the Thornbury 10k so we can adapt and improve for year 2. A few of the changes being made:

  • Do away with the ‘Lead Marshal’ listed on the marshals list, this was confusing people. The document will be reformatted.
  • Change the format of the ‘Marshal Instructions’ to provide more info and clearer graphics (you will see the new format when you volunteer for Oldbury 10m)
  • Changes to the route including start / finish on the Sailing Club road to avoid the out & back; run the route in the reverse direction.
  • Better signage and free standing lights

20/08/22

 

 

 

Members, Thornbury Running Club

Bulletin w/c 15/08 – Mob Match

Thursday Club Night Leaders

Walking – Val / 5k – Caron / 10 min – Steve / 9 min – Kev C /  8 min – Kevin / 7 min – Nick

Tea Rota                                                      

18/8 – Natalie Bennett / 25/8 – Karen Carr / 01/9 –  Lorna Chambers / 8/9 – Mark Rogers

What’s On …

  • August 28th – Severn Bridge 10k (PMC race #4)
  • September 3rd – parkrun of the month Clevedon Salthouse Fields
  • September 15th  â€“ Run & rehydrate (+ Pizza)
  • September 18th – Oldbury 10 Miles
  • September 20th – ‘Kenyan Tuesday Night Coaching’ session venue tbc
  • September 21st – ‘Drill, Stretches & Core Session’ + ‘Running in Kenya’ with Emmanuel & Paul – venue Old Down Pavillion
  • October 1st – parkrun of the month Somerdale Pavilion
  • October 9th – Olveston School Run
  • October 23rd – Stroud Half (PMC race #5)

Mob Match 11/8 … Final Message

At Thursday Night’s Mob Match Chepstow turned up in force with 66 runners to Thornbury’s 44. 17 extra runners certainly helps as Chepstow won the Ladies 739 to 389, Men’s 951 to 760 and overall 3273 to 2292. Thanks to Carol for marshalling the kissing gate, assisting with number distribution and general support. To the Walking Group for marshalling the turnaround point. To Julie (Wood) for starting the race, delivering water to the turnaround point, delivering the cakes, dispensing water and support. The Individual results are here. Paul has already sent out a full Race Report.

Oldbury 10 Mile – Sunday 18th Sept

We need your help please to promote and marshal this event, the third event in the 2022 Club Event Series and how the Club raises funds to support  Run & Rehydrate, Annual Party etc. enjoyed by all Club members.  We have 10 people signed up to marshal and we need 61 for a safe event. Please sign up ASAP here, thank you. If you could please tell your neighbours, friends, work colleagues, re-post the Facebook posts etc … anything to get this to a wider audience as we need more runners too. Thanks.

13/08/22

Events, News, Results, Thornbury Running Club, Uncategorized

Thornbury vs Chepstow mob match report

Generations of Chepstow children have gazed out across the shimmering Severn and wondered who was so rich and famous that they got to live in that Big White House?  The Mayor of Thornbury?  Arthur Renshaw?

So there was palpable excitement from our Mob Match opponents, Chepstow Harriers, as they turned out in force, excited by the opportunity to see this landmark abode for themselves.  Hopefully they weren’t too disappointed to discover it was a decommissioned nuclear power-plant.   Still, they must be warmly congratulated for turning out in such fantastic numbers for an away fixture in August.  Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, and owner of Thornbury Castle, must be rolling in his substantial grave.  Although his efforts to keep the Welsh at bay have been somewhat undermined in recent decades by the M4 and M48 bridges.   

With the mercury still above 30 degrees at 7pm there was a suggestion that the Mob Match be resolved over games of petanque at the Anchor, washed down with ice-cold sauvignon blanc.  Instead after a very cursory ‘warm up’ we found ourselves assembling for a 5km dash along the Mad Max-esque bleached-blonde banks of the Severn, to the consternation and utter bewilderment of the slow-strolling dog-walkers.

Any thoughts that the run out into the headwind would be a cagey and tactical affair were immediately dispelled by Nick Williams charging off at 5 min 45 mile pace.  Andy Wilson’s usual race tactic is to run himself to the point of utter exhaustion, and then accelerate. He was the only other runner willing and/or able to pick up Nick’s gauntlet, and Andy pushed his team mate all the way to the finish line.   Nick a deserved winner of the 3 mile race in 16 mins and 56 seconds, with Andy a fine second place just five seconds behind.

Phil Blackburn has taken a well-earned holiday following the end of the football season, so was maybe not quite at his sharpest, although I wonder what would have happened if he’d gone with the leaders.   He still picked his way through the field to finish in 4th place overall, just behind the lead Chepstow runner, in 17 mins 15 seconds. Conner Vidal-Cocker is a relatively recent recruit to the TRC stable, but he already looks like a thoroughbred champion in waiting.  He paced his effort to perfection, pulling away from a cohort of Chepstownians, to finish in 5th, in 17:29.  Paul Harrod, who was a human parasol for a group of runners on the out-leg, also finished strongly in 17:47 to finish 7th.   At this early stage TRC were well out in the lead of the men’s and overall race.

Unfortunately at this point Chepstow’s weight of numbers started to tell, and they stacked the positions from 8th to 30th with just a handful of TRC runners bucking the trend.   That is not to say there were not some excellent individual performances within that mix.  Jim Godden ran a fantastic 19:32; Ash Blackmore ran 20:28, while George Evans in 20:32 and Asten Haynes, 20:49, are both recovering from injury, and should be heartily thanked for turning out to bag us some points despite both knowing they’d be far further up the tow-path if fully fit.

It takes a special athlete to beat the top TRC female runners, and so we should congratulate the brilliant Katherine Matthews who won the ladies race, and was 8th overall, in 18 minutes flat.  Such was the quality of performance from Chepstow’s leading ladies that Avon 10k road champion Lucie Wilson had to settle for 4th place, in a still fabulous time of 19:28.   Club road race champion Ali Vaz was second TRC lady, and 6th overall, in 20 mins exactly.  Jo Plumbley was brilliantly consistent as always to come home next for TRC in 21:34, just 10 seconds or so ahead of Natalie Bennett who had to sprint to the line to hold off a trio of fast-finishing Harriers.   Julia Jolley in 23:33 and  Ashleigh Ferris in 24 minutes exactly made up our top 6.   Despite these wonderful efforts Chepstow won the overall ladies competition pretty decisively.

Apologies that there is not the space to mention everyone who ran.  It was, without exception, a tremendous achievement to run in that heat and to score points for our team.  Even if a few sun-sapped and heat-addled later finishers mistook the picnic table set up 50 yards up the path for the finish line. Inevitably Chepstow’s numerical advantage meant they won the match, but our senior men definitely had the edge at the top-end of the field.   Perhaps we need to annex Berkeley to boost our numbers for future matches?
  
A huge thank you to Kevin Wood, and his family, and all those who organised this brilliant event.   Thank you to the marshals, and especially to Carol Mosses.   She was the sole person at the kissing gate, and not only coped with a wave of runners hurtling through the tiny gap in the gate, but even had time to set up a temporary traffic-light system to give priority to the faster-returning runners.   Which also meant that our Chepstow guests got a taste of the authentic Thornbury experience.  Thank you to the Chepstow captain for organising the chip-timing; that really enhanced the race, and meant we got the results accurately and promptly.   There was a warm and convivial atmosphere between the teams as we refreshed ourselves in the gardens of the Anchor pub by the light of the Sturgeon moon.  The Harriers returned home in triumph to Chepstow – or ‘transfluvial Thornbury’ as the estate agents call it in a bid to boost house prices.  But the best result of the night was the growing consensus that this fixture is now going to be a regular event in our club calendars.