BRACKNELL gained local bragging rights with a 15-11 South West Premier victory against Maidenhead on Saturday.

The Lily Hill men opened the scoring courtesy of a Vic Hardwicke penalty, and Bracknell extended their lead just before the 10-minute mark, Michael Clarke collecting the ball out wide before breaking a tackle to off-load to Simon Bayliss who, with some work still to do, finished expertly in the Maidenhead corner. Hardwicke’s conversion was missed, but the hosts led 8-0.

Maidenhead rallied and were awarded a penalty of their own for not rolling away, fly-half Adam Lubbock adding the points.

As the rain started to fall, Jason Henry broke through midfield before finding Ian Burch in space, the inside centre breaking the Maidenhead defensive line to score by the posts.

Hardwicke converted to give Bracknell a 12-point lead with 20 minutes gone, but the visitors hit back and were rewarded with a try off the base of a scrum.

Scrum half Ceri Morgan fed wing Mike Davies to score in the corner for the final score of the half, Lubbock’s attempted conversion failing to hit the mark.

After the new electronic scoreboard was opened by Bracknell member Guy Elliott at half-time, it took half an hour of the second half before Lubbock kicked three points for Maidenhead.

Both sides worked hard to get the critical score, but neither could add further points as Bracknell sealed a useful victory which lifts them six points clear of the drop zone.

Bracknell Director of Rugby, Jamie Turner, said: “I’m clearly pleased with the result, but equally pleased with how the team coped with everything on the day.”

Bracknell travel to bottom club Old Patesians this Saturday.