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LONGLEVENS 23 RUGBY LIONS 12 LONGLEVENS cruised to Junior Vase glory with a sensational first-half performance at Twickenham. The Gloucester club raced into a 23-0 lead thanks a double from electric wing Jack Beck and a further touchdown from Daniel Wilton in a relentless display of attacking rugby. A much bigger Rugby Lions outfit battled back with a try from Chris Easton and the dominated large periods of a scrappy second-half. They eventually scored a second, through, Michael Walton, but it was too little, too late after the damage in Levens' profitable purple patch. The Longford Lane club were left bitterly disappointed after missing out on promotion to Gloucester Premier by a single point. But the Twickenham final provided the perfect opportunity to finish the season in fairytale fashion. Whatever head coach Richard Rudge said to his troops ahead of kick-off certainly did the trick as they came storming out of the blocks at HQ and he was close to tears after the final whistle. The forwards carried into the heart of Rugby Lions with real venom and Thomas Evans and Jack Beck were making major inroads out wide. They were dominating almost every facet apart from the scrum, where Lions turned the screw on several occasions and they enjoyed some early pressure. A superb covering tackle kept Lions wing Jonathan Ure at bay before the bouncing ball beat full-back Ian Renard into touch following an audacious grubber from tight-head David Nurse. The Warwickshire club failed to turn pressure into points as Jamie Whiteside struck the uprights and they were made to pay when Longlevens scrum-half Michael Hagen broke the deadlock with a pair of penalties. Levens continued to grow in dominance and they began to establish a real foothold on the encounter with their back-three running riot in wide channels. Fly-half Craig Barden intercepted an over-ambitious Lions flick pass to race into enemy territory. He was tackled short but the ball was recycled efficiently and spread left for Beck to dart over. Hagan missed the conversion but their back-three continued to run riot and Evans should have scored a second try following a Beck break but knocked on with the try-line at his mercy. But Longlevens quickly made amends as a sweeping backs move saw the ball spread to Beck, who beat Ian Renard and Adam Attenborough at close-range to squeeze in the corner for his second-try in little more than five minutes.. Hagan was once again off target but the score had put Rudge's side in a 16-0 lead to send their nine coach-loads into raptures. Despite their miss Levens did not take long to stretch their lead even further. Harry Yorke made the initial inroads and with a succession of quick-fire offloads Wilton powered over, with Hagan adding the extras. Lions piled on the pressure in the closing stages of the half but Levens defended heroically and should have cleared their lines. But a cruel bounce from a miss-struck clearance handed Lions a five-metre lineout and following a sustained period of pressure their juggernaut pack eventually rumbled over with centre Easton the scorer and Jamie Whiteside converting. Both sides had opportunities to add to their scores but some desperate defence ensured a deadlock ensued. With some behemoth forwards, Rugby controlled large periods and strangled Levens of possession but they defended heroically and soaked up immense pressure. That was until Walton got the scoreboard ticking once again, wiggling through some tired defence in the closing stages but it was little consolation as Levens marched to glory.

Longlevens cruise to Junior Vase victory at Twickenham over Rugby Lions

NEWENT 20 YARNBURY 13 NEWENT completed a rare double in the RFU Senior Vase thanks to a second half comeback at the home of English rugby. In front of their Green Army of fans at Twickenham, the Goatley brothers Joe and Barney clinched two second-half tries to win the title after the club won the Junior Vase last season. Longlevens set the tone for what was a spectacular day for Gloucestershire in south west London. with a 23-12 win in the Junior Vase against Rugby Lions. Captain Tristan Veale was sinbinned within three minutes of play but that did not stop Newent getting off the mark first with a well-struck penalty from Ross Webb in the sixth minute. But it was Yarnbury who threatened the Newent try-line and were it not for a forward pass could have crossed the whitewash. Carl Paterson booted Yarnbury level in the 21st minute before an electrifying kick chase from winger Ellis Gomarsell ignited the Yarnbury fans, but Newent's Richard Merrett was first to the ball. As chants of 'Green Army' rang around the Twickenham arena, superb handling along the back-line almost earned Newent a try, as Merrett offloaded to Dominic Matthews, who set up Brett Gardner. But Matthews knocked on in the tackle and the men in green saw a chance go begging. Will Mansfield had an opportunity when chasing his own grubber toward the line but was left isolated by the Yarnbury defence and penalised for holding on. With both defences proving watertight the score remained 3-3 at the break to set up a pulsating second half. After a nervy opening 10 minutes, Yarnbury fired a forward pass in their own 22 in trying to clear their lines and Newent capitalised on the territory, winning a penalty. Webb split the posts for three points but that was immediately nullified as Yarnbury won a penatly, which was well-booted by Paterson for a 6-6 stalemate. Fly-half Joe Goatley made a scintillating run toward the try-line but proved to be too greedy, tackled into touch straining for the line rather than passing to the men in support. Another Yarnbury mistake - a knock-on - in their 22 gifted Newent a scrum on the five metre line and it was from this that Goatley made up for his previous error. He saw the gap and darted through in the 61st minute, with Paterson adding the extras to give Newent a 13-6 lead going into the final quarter. Yarnbury were then penalised for holding on and Paterson booted the kick deep into the 22. Again the men from Yorkshire could not stem the green tide and Goatley's brother Barney also crashed over with Paterson converting with just fourteen minutes remaining. (20-6) As the game entered the final 10 minutes, a Yarnbury driving effort after Newent were penalised in the line-out gave the Yorkshire club their first try, as James Barrett grounded the ball. Yarnbury knocked on in their final attack and jubilant scenes ensued for Newent and their army of dedicated fans. NEWENT: R Merrett, B Gardner, B Goatley, R Webb, D Matthews, W Mansfield, J Deaon, M Morris, L Williams, C Steward, T Veale (c), L Marriott, F Nottingham, G Phelps, J Duffin REPLACEMENTS: G Tovey, J Parker, L Warren, C Gellert, J Meek, J Goatley, D Bubb-Sacklyn YARNBURY: S Wilson, C Flowers, J Avison, S Riley, E Gomersall, C Paterson, O Cashman (c), A Pike, T Gilchrist, R Lister, I Maycokc, J Falgate, J Bennett, J Barrett, J Cyan REPLACEMENTS: A Butterfield, C Doyle, R Gomersall, J Huss, L Mortimer, R Rigby, A Clark-Akal

Newent complete rare double with Senior Vase win at Twickenham

SCOOTER enthusiasts from all over Gloucestershire will roll out to Rush Skatepark in Stroud to see world champion Dakota Schuetz show off his skills on Tuesday. Dakota, from Los Angeles, California, is in Britain for a tour of demonstrations and exhibitions. The indoor skate park at Brimscombe Port, which was opened by parents Jerry and Michelle Norman in December, is among the venues he will visit. Michelle said: "Dakota is doing a flying visit to the UK while on his world tour so we are extremely honoured he has chosen to visit Rush Skatepark as we are a new park. "Dakota has a massive fan base and cult following within the scooter industry so we are expecting a good turn out for his visit. "Hopefully he will be the first of many great riders to visit." Dakota, 18, will spend time riding with children in the beginners session from 5pm and will show off his skills until around 9pm. He will hold a competition to win prizes donated by Lucky Scooters and sign autographs. Rush Skatepark, which has a 300 rider capacity, includes a street section, park section, bowl, foam pit, resi ramp and a jump track. Jerry and Michelle opened the park, which is the first indoor park in Gloucestershire, as they found themselves driving their youngest son Josh, 15, long distances to pursue his skateboarding hobby. Two-time world champion scooter Dakota has been a keen rider since the age of ten. Within six months he was competing and winning. Dakota, whose nickname is The Machine, dedicates five hours a day to training and he is the first competitor to win all major international competitions. He is currently undefeated and ranked number one in the world. The skate park is open six days a week (closed on Mondays) and is available for private hire. For more information visit www.rushskatepark.co.uk

World champion scooter Dakota Schuetz to visit Rush Skatepark in Stroud

PARENTS have been told to take responsibility for fat children to help diffuse Gloucester's obesity time bomb. With a quarter of children in the city obese, it is feared the long term effect on health care services in the county could be devastating unless action is taken. Gloucestershire County Council's public health and wellbeing board met at Shire Hall to discuss a new report that shows the region is at tipping point. It states children with obese parents are more likely to be obese themselves. Councillor Dorcas Binns, cabinet member for public health and communities, said: "Obesity is an inter-generational problem that affects the whole country and is an international problem. "It is a complicated social issue, connected to access to housing, parks, doctors, diet and activity. Parents and communities should take responsibility with the county council." Health experts from the county council have gone out into communities in Matson, Podsmead and Lydney to find out what help families need to help achieve a healthier lifestyle. Dawn Harper, a Gloucestershire GP and presenter on Channel Four programme Embarrassing Bodies said people need to take action to control their weight. "It doesn't really matter what politicians do to the NHS, if we don't all wake up and smell the coffee to do something about what is an epidemic in this country then our NHS will just crumble," she said. "We will not be able to afford to pay for all the care for health problems that are related to obesity." Some families have claimed it is too expensive to eat healthily. Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum, said families on low incomes are more at risk of obesity related problems. He said: "I wouldn't put blame on the parents or the children. Society has created an environment where it is very difficult for a lot of people to keep themselves in trim. "Processed food which is less than healthy, is stuffed with high levels of fat and sugar. It is in the diet of a large proportion of the population, possibly up to a quarter, who are susceptible to that kind of lifestyle." Last year, Hempsted mum Becky Baker, was sent a letter from a school nurse to say her son's weight was seriously damaging his health. Becky signed up to Slimming World and made drastic changes to the family diet and 11-year-old Oliver lost almost two stone. They continue to eat their favourite meals but make them themselves instead of eating processed alternatives. "It is doable," said Becky, who is now a Slimming World consultant. "It's not about introducing a diet, that wasn't the message I wanted to give to my son. "It was about educating him about what is healthy, what is bad for him, where food comes from and how to prepare meals. "Oliver suffered asthma when he was overweight but he is much healthier now. He is able to play a full rugby game without suffering breathing problems."

Parents of fat children told to take responsibility to help diffuse Gloucester’s obesity time bomb

GLOUCESTERSHIRE took Twickenham by storm today, with jubilant fans of the victorious Longlevens and Newent teams savouring their day of fun in the sun. Hundreds of supporters made the trip to the home of English rugby to see first Longlevens and then Newent pick up precious silverware following spectacular performances. Longlevens defeated Rugby Lions 23-12 in the Junior Vase final before Newent's green army secured a 20-13 victory over Yarnbury to bring home the Senior Vase. Gloucester City Council leader and rugby fan Paul James said the atmosphere at the ground was electric. Speaking from Twickenham, he said: "What people were saying was the Longlevens lads were really nervous, but that didn't show on the pitch where they started strongly and built up a big lead. "There was a real exodus from Longlevens and nine coaches full came, and others made their way by car, which is good going. Longlevens and Gloucester should be very proud of what the team has achieved as this doesn't happen very often." Mayor of Gloucester councillor Chris Chatterton also made the trip to Twickenham and said it was "fantastic" to see Newent and Longlevens supporters cheer each other on. His seven-year-old son William plays for Longlevens under-sevens and added: "The junior set-up all came down to support the big guys and what an inspiration it is for them to see – people in their club shirt playing and winning at Twickenham." Both teams left for Twickenham a day early to prepare for their games and more than 250 fans turned out on the streets of Newent to send off the green army on Saturday. Mayor of Newent councillor Roger Beard said: "It has been a great day for Gloucestershire. It was absolutely terrific. The roar was great when they came on to the pitch and the green army has done us proud." Newent captain Tristan Veale said: "The support we get from people around the area is just unbelievable. We had nine or 10 coach loads coming up today and that just gives you that little bit more to get the win." And Longlevens captain Jed Holman-Jones added: "Most of my family were here, Mum, Dad, brothers, grandmother, aunties, cousins. It's just brilliant. "My mum and dad are the stewards of the club so it means a lot to my whole family. I'm the oldest but my brothers all play for the club's age grades. It's a great day. We're not just a team, this club is a family."

Siverware comes to Longlevens and Newent after Gloucestershire rugby clubs take Twickenham by storm

RUGBY fans are paying tribute to stalwart Mike Tindall who declared his apparent intention to retire from the sport after Gloucester's last home game of the season. Following the Cherry and Whites' 38-30 victory over London Irish on Saturday, the 35-year-old Tweeted: "Looks like the last game at Kingsholm has been played. Gutted it has to end. Good win to finish though. Love to the #glawsfamily." The World Cup winner has been one of the "most influential and consistent" performers since arriving at Kingsholm for the 2005/06 season and the club says his hard tackling and strong runs have added a physical dimension to Gloucester's midfield. After the match on Saturday, Tindall completed a lap of the pitch with baby daughter Mia in his arms while wife Zara Phillips watched on. Gloucester City Council leader Paul James, who was at Kingsholm on Saturday, said: "He has been a real stalwart for the club over the last eight seasons. "Although he came up the road from Bath, where he spent some time, he is very much seen as a Gloucester boy. "In recent times he has been a real statesman and a father figure for some of the younger players and Mike has been playing very well this season, despite his advancing years in rugby terms. "If he was to leave the club entirely he would be missed, but hopefully there will be a way to draw on his years of experience. "He is somebody that never gives less than 100 per cent." Twitter followers of Tindall, who has 75 England caps, hailed the player as being "awesome" this season and one said: "I hope this (retirement) is not true, we need someone of your calibre to direct the rest of the team." Fans have thanked him for his services to both Gloucester and Bath and others have called on him to play at least one more season. In response to support online, Tindall said: "Thanks for the messages, I would love to play another year but unfortunately that option is not there for me."

Fans pay tribute to 'stalwart' of Gloucester Rugby Mike Tindall who has signalled his intention to retire from the sport

MORE awareness of brain tumour symptoms is being called for after a Gloucester father suffered a seizure on the M5 half-an-hour after a hospital discharge. Patrick Joyce, 44, of Tuffley Avenue, received a series of tests and scans but was told his fits were most likely to be down to an "abnormal connection" of arteries and veins in his central nervous system. His wife Theresa, 37, said his tumour was not diagnosed until he was referred to a neurosurgeon at the university hospital in Coventry around two years after the seizures started. Mrs Joyce, who has two sons, Keylon, seven, and James, 13, said: "We met with the neurosurgeon in Coventry who said he needed a more detailed scan, but he did confirm he had a slow growing brain tumour. "The surgeon said it could have been there for around 15 years as there was bone growing around it. "It has been a complete nightmare." Mrs Joyce said her husband suffered a seizure while working on a construction site in Worcester in 2010 but after two seizures on the same day in 2012, he was rushed to Worcester Hospital. She said he was told it was most likely to be an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in his brain, the abnormal connection of veins and arteries, and he suffered another fit on the M5 while driving home from hospital. A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said brain surgeons and doctors are only in specialist centres like University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, and not in smaller hospitals like Worcester. Since he was referred to Coventry, the malignant tumour has been removed and Mr Joyce has completed chemotherapy and radiotherapy, but will have more scans this year to ensure it gets detected early if it returns. Mrs Joyce is now working to raise money for Brain Tumour Research and awareness of how to spot symptoms early. A fundraising event with live music from band Pholk Law, a disco and a raffle will be held at the Gloucester Irish Club from 7.30pm on Saturday, May 10. Tickets cost £10 which includes food and table wine and are available from the club. Mrs Joyce said: "I hope people know the signs. A lot of people think tumours all start with headaches but there can also be memory loss, vomiting, blurred speech, but my husband had a full blown seizure. "People don't realise that even young children can get them." Tumour symptoms can differ depending on which lobe the tumour forms, and can include drowsiness, short-term memory loss, apathy, becoming irritable, sickness and poor coordination.

Calls for more awareness of brain tumour symptoms after Gloucester man suffered seizure after hospital discharge

IT WAS a rare treat for Gloucestershire followers to see the England captain back on 'home' territory last week. Alastair Cook is very much an Essex boy now, of course, having played for the Chelmsford club for 11 years and been awarded a benefit year this summer. But a lesser-known fact is that he was born in Gloucester, his Christmas Day arrival in 1984 coinciding with a visit to the grandparents. Cook's father Graham and grandfather Clifford both played cricket for Cam, so there are genuine reasons for local pride in his rise to stardom over the last decade. To say it has been a tough six months for Cook is a bit like suggesting Jose Mourinho might not be given a guard of honour on his next visit to Anfield. The 29-year-old resembled a lost soul at times as the Ashes were wrenched from his side's grip, while his captaincy was portrayed as dull and rudderless. He also suffered the most prolonged dip in form of his international career, and skippers at all levels will testify how much tougher the job becomes when the runs or wickets dry up. Still a rookie in the top job, Cook had to contend with the retirement of his star spinner midway through the series and the melodrama surrounding Kevin Pietersen – the scale of which only became apparent in the weeks and months that followed. And I have not even mentioned a certain Mitchell Johnson, who transformed himself from the Barmy Army's jester to a steaming juggernaut and reduced a previously vaunted batting line-up to gibbering wrecks. There were calls for Cook to be relieved of his duties, but thankfully the ECB saw sense and resisted any temptation to press the panic button. The series Down Under was a debacle, yet England had boarded the plane on the back of a home series triumph against the same opponents and unbeaten in 13 Tests. In short, Cook had built up enough credit in the bank to survive the brickbats and unquestionably has the ice-cool temperament required to emerge a stronger character. So when England's Test summer begins on June 12 against Sri Lanka it will be the same square-jawed leader at the helm, but who will be his partner at the top of the order? In Australia it was Hampshire's Michael Carberry, who was impressive at Bristol last month and will still feel he is the man in possession. However, many feel he committed international career suicide by publicly griping about his lack of selection for the subsequent One-Day Internationals and his treatment by then coach Ashley Giles. I have never been one to bear a grudge against anyone speaking their mind, but at 33 he is hardly an investment for the future. Middlesex's Sam Robson would get my vote after a rip-roaring start to the summer, and a glance at his form over the longer term shows a return of seven centuries since November. I am also a Joe Root fan, but he has been shunted up and down the order too many times already and needs some stability. A paltry score of four suggested Cook felt less at home at Nevil Road than he would have liked, but England were right not to cast him into the wilderness.

View from the Orchard: Cricket writer Peter Orchard on England captain Alistair Cook

GETTING through a difficult morning at Lilley Brook golf course takes a certain amount of self-belief. Belief that, although the first five swings were useless, the next five will be spot on. Belief that, although you feel as if you have gone straight back to square one, all you are missing is "the feel" of the swing. Simply focus on the sequence, and the ball will soar. Sporting excellence is, after all, a mind-set. It was once said the greatest sporting achievements are made when the mind is as still as a glass lake. But self-belief can only take you so far and I have a confession to make. I did not have time to practise before my fourth lesson. As a result, the sequence of the swing needed honing once again and this took some time to achieve. When I am standing above a ball, many things go through my head. Keep the radius of the swing the same throughout, drive back from the left shoulder keeping the arms straight, sit down into your backside, make sure your chest is tall, move your body towards the target before the arms, lean forward at the finish, do not scoop the ball… and so on. I am yet able to achieve the flow that comes with a still mind – and years of practice. And practice does not mean whacking balls at a driving range. Practice is not about hitting the ball. It's about making the swing such an innate and organic movement, you no longer have to think about it. Repeating those movements again and again until they become as ordinary and everyday as walking. My coach, professional Simon Harrison, emphasised how far I had come in just three lessons, but reiterated how important practising was, even if just for five minutes a day swinging through a tee in the ground. In the first few whacks at the ball in lesson four, I struggled with the finish of the swing. I curved my spine, pointed my club to the sky and was sitting back on my right foot. As a result, I thinned or topped the ball. Simon told me about 'the arrow theory'. The chest should point forward along the target line, rather than up towards the sky. Holding this position for several seconds and thinking about the mechanics involved in finishing a swing like this meant that the last few hits were some of my best. And to my credit, the ball mostly flies straight – one bad habit I don't have to work too hard at correcting. But how do you measure progress in a golf lesson? Can we measure it by the ratio of good to poor shots? Can we measure it by how finely tuned one part of the swing sequence is? Can we measure it by how far and straight the ball flies? It is entirely subjective, and a perfectionist like yours truly struggles to come away satisfied. That is part of the enticing charm of golf. That's what keeps you coming back for more, time and time again, hoping that the next swing will be your best.

The Irons Lady: You need plenty of self-belief to play golf

Bream 20 Cinderford Stags 23 CINDERFORD Stags snatched a dramatic victory with a late try to wrest the Forest of Dean Junior Combination Cup from Bream's grasp. In an exhilaratingly edgy finale, the hosts could still have taken the game into extra time with a penalty in the dying seconds but it missed the target, kick-starting the Stags' celebrations. Cinderford were out of the blocks quickest but fly-half Ollie White pulled his penalty wide and Bream almost immediately fashioned a response as a quick tap penalty by scrum-half Zoe Preest followed by an incisive interchange between full-back Joe Lesperance and winger Nick Hook opened up the defence, but a great tackle by Adam Wilce forced a knock-on. Bream then used the pick and go to make ground and after a poor drop-goal attempt from fly-half Lance Evans, he slotted a penalty but White quickly replied to level. Bream were quickly back on the attack but failed to get a decent drive rumbling from a series of penalty lineouts. They should have been in when number eight Dave Emery broke powerfully off a scrum and the ball was shifted quickly wide, but a wild pass meant they failed to exploit the overlap. Evans then failed with a penalty while White made no mistake for Cinderford to take the lead. The visitors had their tails up with centre Lewis Smith running hard and he combined with the half-backs to unleash wing Nathan Green. Wrapped up just short, the ball was recycled for centre Mike Jelf to score. White converted. Bream reorganised and despite an impressive Cinderford rearguard, they patiently turned up the heat with a succession of penalties and then drove strongly from a lineout. Scrum-half Preest broke away from a ruck and fed Evans, whose step inside almost took him over, but it was flanker Andrew Cooper who burrowed over. Evans converted to cut the gap to 13-10 at half-time. Play was largely concentrated between the 22s in the third quarter with abrasive defence from both sides. Bream wing James Bovil went close in the corner after a touchline break but the visitors stripped the ball and then White popped over a penalty. Bream were not giving this one up without a fight and punched holes patiently until a penalty lineout provided a breakthrough with Cooper collecting at the tail. As the expertly corralled drive splintered, lock Richard Thomas was at the bottom to claim the try. The sweetly struck conversion by Evans gave Bream a 17-16 advantage. Cinderford's cause was dealt another blow when Wilce was sin-binned and Evans popped over the resulting penalty. But when Cinderford failed to find touch with a penalty lineout, Bovil got into a world of trouble trying to get the ball clear. A knock-on gave Cinderford the chance to turn up the heat at a series of scrums with Smith going close before number eight Isiah Young took a penalty quickly and burrowed over. Prop James Baglin converted for a 23-20 lead. There was still time for late drama, though, as Bream battled their way to the fringes of the 22 and won a penalty, but Preest could not convert to leave the hosts heartbroken after a cracking clash. BREAM: J. Lesperance, J. Bovil, L. Turley, R. Awford, N. Hook, L. Evans, Z. Preest; A. Peacey, S. Coombes, D. Andrews, R. Thomas, P. Ball, M. James, A. Cooper, D. Emery. Reps: D. Hardy, A. Walker, T. Wilson, P. Pritchard, M. Doughty. CINDERFORD STAGS: A. Wilce, N. Green, L. Smith, M. Jelf, J. Pritchard, O. White, P. Worthing; J. Baglin, R. Groves, M. Baldwin, S. Adams, J. Shields, C. Morse, D. Bradley, I. Young. Reps: T. Ward, R. Walding, J. Richards, J. Rowles, M. Bale, J. Drinkwater, T. Farmer. STAR MEN: Andrew Cooper (Bream) and Lewis Smith (Cinderford).

Firefighters are tackling a large blaze at a farm at Haresfield tonight. Residents are being warned to keep their windows closed tonight because of the smoke coming from the site in Colethrop Lane. Several hundred tyres are alight but Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue said the blaze is under control. People living within a three to five mile radius are being advised to close windows as a precaution.

Residents warned to keep windows closed as tyre fire breaks out at a Gloucestershire farm

CINDERFORD director of rugby Andy Deacon hopes "common sense prevails" following the news of a radical overhaul of the current coaching structure. This move will see Deacon axed from his role as director of rugby and he will have to apply for a job at the club he has been at the heart of for the past decade. The 'director of rugby' role is being removed and will be replaced by a 'professional rugby manager' position. New coaching vacancies will include head coach, assistant coach, a fitness and analysis coach and a Cinderford United team manager, and it is understood there has been no shortage of applicants. This means forwards coach Lee Fortey, United team manager Paul Morris, defence coach Isaiah Young and attack coach Brad Davies will also have to apply for roles in the new line-up. All positions will include revised responsibilities and duties, suggesting the club are keen to shake up their current coaching line-up and bring in fresh faces. Cinderford secured National One safety with one game remaining and they ended the season in 11th place after their 55-26 bonus-point win over Wharfedale at Dockham Road on Saturday. They were one position and three points adrift of where they finished last season, and for a club who want to be competitive in the top half of the league, that was clearly deemed not good enough by those who run the club. Former Gloucester prop Deacon was disappointed by the shake-up. He said: "I will look at the job specification and see what it involves to see if it's right for me. "I love this club, I've done a lot of hard work. I have been here 10 years so I can't see myself not applying for the job but I haven't looked at it in detail yet. "I just wanted to focus on the Wharfedale game. I spoke to the guys about it before the game and they have been very supportive of me and the coaches. "I just hope common sense prevails." Centre Robbie Winchle, who scored two tries in Cinderford's routing of Wharfedale, said he is keeping his faith in the current coaching line-up and does not want to see a change in personnel. He said: "Of course I want to be at Cinderford next season and I want to have the same people around me – the coaching staff and the players – but obviously I know things change. "I'm backing Deacs (Deacon), Paul (Morris), Fouro (Lee Fortey), Isaiah (Young), 100 per cent, we must keep them in. "Chopping and changing is difficult but if we can keep the core together we will be flying again next season." For more information about the coaching roles, contact Mike Panoho:mikepanoho@cinderfordrfc.co.uk.

Cinderford boss Andy Deacon calls for common sense in coaching restructure

REGGAE artist Jamie Irie is hoping his new album will reach number one in specialist charts to do his much missed brother proud. The 48-year-old, whose real name is Jamie Saysell, released Nah Give Up earlier this year and it made the top spot in the Juno download sales chart of 'roots reggae, lovers rock and one drop' category. Now, he has released a dub-step version of the album called Nah Give Up Dub. Penned in Jamie's own studio, the album is a dedication to Mark Saysell, Jamie's brother, who died of cancer in 2012. "Mark was such a strong character but when he was having his treatment he lost his strength," said Jamie, from Tredworth. "I used to say Nah Give Up to him. "Sadly he didn't pull through but he was always positive." Flying between Jamaica and New York throughout the 1990s, Jamie has worked with some of the biggest names in the reggae game including Shaggy and Elephantman. Jamie worked on the original Nah Give Up album throughout 2012 and spent teamed up with reggae artist Idavid this year to create the dub-step version. The album is currently at number five in the chart. "It was fantastic to see the last album reach number one and it would be amazing if the same could happen with this track," said Jamie. "It is not all about number one for me, it is about having my music in the arena. "But I am only as good as the support I receive. "I would love everyone in Gloucester to get behind me and support this new album. "I want to do Gloucester proud." The album can be purchased at www.junodownload.com/dub-reggae Jamie can be contacted at jamieirie@yahoo.co.uk or visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jamie.irie Listen to the original version of Nah Give Up here:

Reggae artist Jamie Irie hopes new dubstep album will reach number 1

CELEBRATING a Senior Vase win at Twickenham is momentous enough but to do so alongside your brother makes the occasion even more extraordinary for the Goatley family. Backs Barney and Joe Goatley both crashed over in the second half to seal Newent's 20-13 win over Yarnbury and claim the Senior Vase one year after winning the Junior title. Newent's unique achievement at HQ is compounded by consecutive promotions from Gloucester One and Gloucester Premier and the Goatley brothers were honoured to have played their part in the historic achievements. Gloucester-born Joe said: "Every year a team wins the Junior Vase, every year a team wins the Senior Vase but not very often do teams do it in consecutive years with back to back promotions. "Barney and I both scored tries last year too and to be able to celebrate these victories with a family member was very special. Although he scored first last year, so I had to get him back. "I've not played for a little while after getting a nasty shoulder injury about eight weeks ago so it was touch and go if I was going to play today. "But I just managed to get myself fit enough. I don't think I played that well but it's great to get a try and to be part of this. It's been incredible. "We are very lucky to have come here well prepared because all credit to them, they were very physical, very strong. "The lads have worked so hard, there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes and to be a part of it has been such good fun. It's been brilliant." With the scores locked at 6-6 in the second half, the brothers' attacking potency came to the fore and though Yarnbury fought back in the final quarter, it was not enough. Barney joked his try was not quite as impressive as older brother Joe's score but emphasised the feeling of scoring at Twickenham was heightened with his brother playing next to him. Barney added: "I didn't mind he scored first, as long as we got the win. "It was just a little bit extra that we both scored, it's a great feeling to score with my brother but first and foremost it's a team effort. "Mine wasn't as good but they all count! I should have scored when he went over but he chose not to pass it. It is unbelievable though. "It's hard to find your bearings in a big stadium and it's a bigger pitch than usual but we got there eventually. "It was very hard-fought and we spent a lot of time defending but I always felt that we were going to win the game. It was just a matter of when. I think in the second half our fitness prevailed. "I think this year felt a bit better because it was a much tighter game and our tries were the deciding factor."

Twickenham Senior Vase win all the more special for Newent brothers Joe and Barney

FROM Double Gloucester to Stinking Bishop, Gloucestershire is known for its cheeses sold around the world. But the delights made in the county will no longer be sold in China, after the country has banned all imports of British cheese. The move comes as inspectors condemned hygiene standards at just one UK diary – which does not even import there. The ban, imposed on May 1, has sparked outrage among MPs and surprise among some of Gloucestershire's cheesemakers and wholesalers. Lisa Goodchild runs the Cotswold Cheese Company based in Moreton-in-Marsh, which stocks six cheeses from the county. She said: "It has come as a bit of a surprise. "We have a lot of Chinese visitors to the Cotswold and they love our cheeses. They buy a lot of it – they really do like their cheese and some even try to take it back. "We have a lot of local producers and suppliers, mainly from small artisan producers. "We have a lot of trust in what they are doing and make sure they are affiliated with the right organisations. "We certainly have had no problems here, but we tend not to go to big producers." The cheese factory visited has not been identified and there is no evidence it broke any British regulations. Farming Minister, George Eustice, said the ban was disappointing. He said: "British cheese is the best in the world and produced to the highest safety and quality standards so it is disappointing that China have put a temporary block on cheese imports. "Food inspectors will now visit all factories exporting cheese to China to demonstrate their high standards so these restrictions can be lifted as soon as possible." Andrew Percy, Conservative MP for Brigg and Goole, who is secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Cheese Group, said: "We have some of the highest food production standards in the world as well as the world's finest cheeses. "It seems to me this is a complete over-reaction and a disproportionate response especially as the plant involved does not even export cheese to China. "This matter needs to be resolved quickly and if it is not we should look at the possibility of some retaliatory action. "Attacking the British cheese industry is like us attacking the Chinese noodle industry and on the basis of just one visit to a British dairy producer I think it is offensive." The Chinese inspectors were in Britain in March following a visit arranged by officials at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and industry body Dairy UK.

Shock in Gloucestershire as China bans British cheese

Jonjo O'Neill is hoping to continue his remarkable year by landing one of the top races of the Flat season on Wednesday. After winning three races at this year's Cheltenham Festival, the Temple Guiting trainer will turn his attentions to capturing the StanJames.com Chester Cup with Masquerading. Jimmy Quinn's mount is likely to be among the outsiders in the 19-runner field after winning one of his nine races. Better known for his success over jumps, O'Neill won the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Northumberland Plate on the Flat last year.

Jonjo O'Neill targeting big-race victory at Chester

SCOOTER enthusiasts from all over Gloucestershire will roll out to Rush Skatepark in Stroud to see world champion Dakota Schuetz show off his skills tomorrow night. Dakota, from Los Angeles, California, is in Britain for a tour of demonstrations and exhibitions. The indoor skate park at Brimscombe Port, which was opened by parents Jerry and Michelle Norman in December, is among the venues he will visit. Michelle said: "Dakota is doing a flying visit to the UK while on his world tour so we are extremely honoured he has chosen to visit Rush Skatepark as we are a new park. "Dakota has a massive fan base and cult following within the scooter industry so we are expecting a good turn out for his visit. "Hopefully he will be the first of many great riders to visit." Dakota, 18, will spend time riding with children in the beginners session from 5pm and will show off his skills until around 9pm on Tuesday, May 6. He will hold a competition to win prizes donated by Lucky Scooters and sign autographs. Rush Skatepark, which has a 300 rider capacity, includes a street section, park section, bowl, foam pit, resi ramp and a jump track. Jerry and Michelle opened the park, which is the first indoor park in Gloucestershire, as they found themselves driving their youngest son Josh, 15, long distances to pursue his skateboarding hobby. Two-time world champion scooter Dakota has been a keen rider since the age of 10. Within six months he was competing and winning. Dakota, whose nickname is The Machine, dedicates five hours a day to training and he is the first competitor to win all major international competitions. He is currently undefeated and ranked number one in the world. The skate park is open six days a week (closed on Mondays) and is available for private hire. For more information visit www.rushskatepark.co.uk

Scooter champion Dakota 'The Machine' Shuetz rolls into Gloucestershire

IT was celebrations all round for four teachers at St Peters High School who all got married on the same day. April 12 is a special day for English teacher Charlotte O'Neill who married PE teacher Martin McDermott and for music teacher Becky Jones who married Philip Greenow in Gloucester and for Science teacher Katie Lee who married Darlington Azubuike. Both Martin and Katie are past pupils at the school, while the current school choir sang at Becky's wedding. More than 20 staff attended Martin's wedding. Becky said: "I think it's great that we were all married on the same day. Phil came to speak at my church on a Sunday morning back in November 2011. I was playing the piano during the service. "My Mum made sure we were introduced afterwards by almost dragging Phil towards me and asking, have you met my single daughter? "The wedding service was held at Southgate Evangelical Church at 12:30. It seems it was love at first sight for Martin when he clapped eyes on Charlotte during a teacher training day at the school in Stroud Road. Charlotte said: "Martin has always said he noticed me the moment I had to awkwardly introduced myself to the whole school on my first day during inset day, when staff are named and then have to stand up to show who they are. "The moment we both first really noticed we had a lot in common was when we were on a school ski trip to Austria, six months after I first joined the school. While skiing down the mountain I froze as I had never skied before and Martin was sent to come and rescue me. "Our wedding day was everything I had imagined and more, it was the best day of my life. The congregation particularly enjoyed the part when Martin answered for both of us with 'We Do' to which the priest responded, 'you can't answer for her, she's not your wife yet. That bit comes later'. Martin added: "It was lovely to have lots of colleagues from our two different departments English and PE there and there was a cross curricular flavour with both reading involved, at the church service and dancing to the brilliant band in the evening. A great time was had by all. Katie said: "Me and Darlington met at church. We met on the April 10 last year and got married a year later. "My reception was the school because I am a former pupil and now a teacher at here. The school has always been a special place which has supported me in following my career ambitions. "Our wedding was a total D.I.Y. wedding which I am truly grateful to all my family, friends and St. Peters staff for helping make it such a spectacular day. We had 180 guests and our theme was an infusion of the cultures - English and Nigerian. So it was a really memorable experience for my side of the family when they tried Nigerian cuisine for the first time, including Moi moi and Egusi soup. We both wore matching traditional wedding clothes for our first dance. We're really looking forward to our honeymoon now as we're flying to Ethiopia in July for the summer school holiday to do voluntary work."

Four teachers from the same Gloucester school get married on the same day

REIGNING Premier One champions Bath proved too strong for Frocester on the opening weekend of the West of England Premier League season. Having asked Bath to bat first, Frocester would have been optimistic of chasing down their target of 214 at the halfway stage. But some miserly new-ball bowling ensured that the men from Pounds Close were always behind the rate before they were eventually bowled out for 149 with just over six overs remaining. Having won the toss, Frocester skipper Nick Trainor would have been concerned to see the Bath opening pair of Alex Barrow and James Campbell add 40 for the first wicket. But after Campbell fell leg before to Richard Cave for 17 and the same bowler curtailed Barrow's enjoyment having made 35, Frocester were firmly in the hunt. Overseas signing Josh Dunning trapped Luke Padgett leg before for nine and Cave bowled Tim Rouse for a duck to leave Bath 64 for four and complete figures of three for 28 from his 10 overs. Sam Mount and Lloyd Davies set about leading the Bath recovery, taking the score into three figures before former Gloucestershire seamer Paul Muchall bowled Mount for a quickfire 26. But a telling stand of 60 between skipper Davies and George Hankins would prove decisive in the final reckoning. Davies added 29 before being caught by Michael Beard off the bowling of county pro Jack Taylor, while the same bowler disturbed Hankins' bails, but not before he had made a crucial 57. Matt Morris claimed two wickets late in the day as Bath edged past the 200 barrier for the loss of nine wickets in their 50 overs. Frocester made a solid if slow start against the new ball, with Beard and Uzi Qureshi taking the score to 27 before the former found Tim Rouse's hands off Adam Kelly on seven. Qureshi and Trainor then advanced the score to 56 before former Gloucestershire Academy man Qureshi fell to Simon Marchant and a James Campbell catch for 23. Taylor also made 23 in quick time, hitting three fours and a six off 14 balls before falling leg before to the accurate Kelly, who posted outstanding figures of two for 12 from eight overs. Tom Wand was bowled by Thomas Drake for five and Muchall's debut ended for 16 and Sam Bracey for 11, both to Marchant as Frocester slumped to 129 for six. Skipper Trainor had dug in at the other end to make 36 off 103 balls but with partners running out, his was a lone vigil. He was eventually the eighth Frocester man to fall as Campbell and Drake combined, and the game was soon over as Mount bowled both Dunning (3) and Morris for a duck to complete the win.

APPERLEY made the perfect start to the Gloucestershire Division season as Australian overseas recruit Nick Saady played a starring role in their win at Hatherley and Reddings. Sydneysider Saady – a clubmate of Australian Test stars David Warner, Nathan Hauritz and Simon Katich at Randwick Petersham – claimed outstanding figures of four for 20 on debut. That helped Apperley bowl hosts Hatherley and Reddings out for just 77 at North Park as Lloyd Griffiths (3-13) a new recruit from Gloucester City Winget also enjoyed his debut. Only Sam Coote offered any resistance for Hatherley, carrying his bat for an unbeaten 41 as five batsmen fell without scoring. Apperley easily knocked off the runs for the loss of just two wickets thanks to 29 from Luke Smith and an unbeaten 24 from Jamie Batten. The bowlers also starred for Dumbleton as they edged to a four-wicket win against Lydney thanks in part to an outstanding effort from Craig Baldwin and Tom Green. Baldwin claimed figures of three from 11 from his 10-over stint while Green bagged three for 27 as Lydney were bowled out for 161, with only a defiant 59 from Ed Jones denying the Dumbleton attack. Lydney made a bright start with the ball as Peter Glynn (3-43) and Grant Keddle (2-17) reduced the hosts to 46 for four. But 57 from Tom Clarkson and an unbeaten 49 from skipper Adam Stuart ensured that Dumbleton got home with four wickets and nearly 20 overs to spare. Painswick enjoyed a solid start to their season as Ed Evans' 55 and some errant Bourton Vale bowling ensured the visitors had a daunting total of more than 200 to chase at Broadham Fields. While Evans was the only batsman to make a significant impact, the extras column also passed 50 thanks to 35 wides sent down by the Bourton Vale attack. Painswick showed them just how it should be done with James Harber (3-13) and skipper Mike King (3-12) ensuring a big 144-run win as the visitors were bowled out for 60. Corse and Staunton claimed a thrilling win against Stroud at the Newland SCG, edging to victory by three wickets in a low-scoring affair. Opener Luke Benneyworth top scored for Stroud with 45, but while six other batsman reached double figures none was able to make a significant contribution. James Chamberlayne (3-28) and Ben Morton (3-11) were the pick of the visiting bowlers as Corse and Staunton were set 159 to win. They got there with seven wickets down thanks to 36 from Tim Dannant and a fine unbeaten 25 from their number nine Bertie Wyatt. League new boys Gloucester AIW Sports endured a tough introduction to the Gloucestershire Division as they went down to an eight-wicket defeat at Woodmancote. Bowled out for a solid score of 207 AIW Sports had no answer to the Woodmancote batting as the visitors romped to victory for the loss of just two wickets.