Last year’s finalists put their shock opening day defeat behind them to get back to winning ways with a vengeance. A stunning twenty point opening quarter put Bristol in command and gave them a lead that never looked threatened. Fianzo Smith rumbled up the middle from fully sixty-five yards out following superb blocks from Charles “CJ” Baker and Adrian Helps on the offensive line to notch the opening six points. Aaron Colfer’s first of his three interceptions of the day gave the Aztecs good field position. Jack Kelly had a meandering twenty-five yard run to set up his second carry, out sprinting defenders to the corner of the end zone. With a bobbled snap proving the undoing of the conversion attempt the Aztecs sat comfortably ahead at 12 – 0. The first period onslaught continued with Tom Wallis latching onto an Andrew Morgan twenty-four yard pass for a further score. Owain Chambers booted the extra two points to push the Trojans to a 20 – 0 deficit.

The second period quickly followed the same patter as the first. A forty-yard scamper from Chris Green allowed Stef Williams to power in from eight yards out and increase the lead to 26 – 0. Tamworth broke back when the ensuing kick off was shanked and with the Bristol kick off team losing concentration, and the Trojans Tom Bishop took the ball back fifteen yards for their opening score of the season. With a successful two point conversion catch by James Russell from Aaron Rowe, the Trojans had closed the deficit to 26 – 8 in a matter of minutes. Jack Kelly continued to punish the visitors. His thirty-yard run set up Simon Harris on the next play. Harris, taking advantage of crunching blocks from Adam Ford and Tyrone Matthews jinked his way to pay dirt. Chambers dutifully nailed the extra two points and the West Country outfit went into half time 34 – 8 ahead.

The Trojans, affected by the rustiness of a long off-season steadily improved throughout the third quarter. A Jack Kelly five-yard run and the obligatory Owain Chambers conversion for Bristol were the only difference between the two sides.

The fourth quarter saw Owain Chambers gather a punt and return it from over fifty yards away. An awesome block from Dave Jennison who took out two Trojan defenders helped to make Chambers’ life far easier as he helped his side out to 48 – 8. Long time offensive Lineman and 2005 Team England Captain Nick Rogers got every lineman’s dream with a rumble for a score from two yards out as he tried his new role of blocking back to finish the scoring for the day.

Bristol now seem to be back in the groove and will no doubt challenge at the highest level again this year. The Trojans are a side who will never say die and will be far better side after this game, and have blown the cobwebs away. They have all the tools and the correct attitude to go a long way this season.