When sports fans start talking about giantkilling acts, aficionados will almost certainly wax lyrical about Wimbledon v Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final, James ‘Buster’ Douglas v Mike Tyson in 1990 and Scotland’s Grand Slam win over Will Carling’s England, also in 1990.

Well, here’s another one for the list... the Gloucester Three North rugby match between Hartpury College and Smiths on September 11, 2004.

Although it was Hartpury’s first game in the league, their lack of experience was not expected to be a factor and Smiths travelled to Hartpury fearing the worst.

What unfolded on the pristine Hartpury turf has gone down in Smiths folklore as they pulled off a dramatic 16-10 win.

Making that victory even more remarkable is the fact that Hartpury have since lost only a handful of league games as they have swept through the divisions to the stage where they are now preparing for life in the Championship next season – one level below the elite clubs in English rugby.

Alex Ayres, captain of Smiths on one of the greatest days in their history, takes up the story.

“We’d been relegated the previous season but I was happy to carry on as captain because I thought we’d go straight back up as champions,” he said.

“Then we learned that Hartpury had been put in our division. They’d wanted to start in Gloucester Premier and they had a good argument because they’d been playing friendlies against clubs like Cinderford but the League insisted they started at the bottom.

“I was gutted because I automatically thought it meant we wouldn’t win the league.

“I remember the build-up to the game and thinking we wouldn’t get anywhere near them. But what we didn’t know was that they would only be able to put out a second string side.

“That was because most of their first-team squad were on a tour of Hong Kong and the South East... I think we’d get a tour to Torquay at the end of the season if we were lucky!

“I remember the pitch being very nice and the facilities were a lot better than most of us were used to.

“They only had two or three first-teamers but we’d already decided that we’d try to field as big a team as possible.

“I was normally a prop but I switched to hooker that day and had Andy Hill and Gary Gibbons either side of me. It was a 60-stone front row.

“We scored a try in the corner early on through our full-back Jamie Radford. I’d like to say it was a free-flowing move but it came off the back of a lineout move close to their line.

“Fly-half Rob ‘Rodney’ Miller – so-called because he looked like Rodney Trotter from Only Fools and Horses – kicked the conversion and also landed three penalties.

“The game was won and lost up front. We had the bigger pack and whenever we had the ball we kicked it deep into their territory.

“I have to admit that the plan was to play negative rugby. They were a lot younger and quicker than us and were a very fit side but they seemed a bit intimidated by us.

“You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do and we knew it was a real big achievement to win the game.

“I remember we went in the bar afterwards. We had a few beers and hotdogs and enjoyed the moment while their players all went off for icebaths! I didn’t see any of their players in the bar afterwards and we were there for three or four hours.”

Ayres, now 48 and still used as an impact sub at Smiths for the first team as they push for promotion from Gloucester Two, remembers the game as though it were yesterday.

Apart from the influence of Radford, Miller and the front row, he also picked out number eight Jeff Marriot and scrum-half Jason Burge as having big games while Kevin Tyson brought off a try-saving tackle at the finish.

The return game at the Newlands was a different story as Hartpury waltzed to a 47-15 win. “It was a fast and loose game and they were too good for us,” said Ayres.

Both teams won promotion at the end of the season – Hartpury went up as champions – and since then the college have continued their remarkable rise.

Ayres is full of admiration for what they have achieved. “It’s brilliant, isn’t it?” he said. “I think they went something like six years unbeaten after they’d lost to us.

“It’s good for the area. They’ve brought some great players through like Alex Cuthbert and Jonny May and they are developing loads more.”

Tom Radcliffe, Hartpury College’s Director of Elite Sport, said: “It is great for the area that we are doing well and we have strong links with a number of clubs in Gloucestershire.

“We try to give back where we can by providing players, coach development sessions and welcoming visitors to our club.

“We look forward to the Championship next year but appreciate how difficult it will be.

“Perhaps the Smiths team that day gave us the motivation needed to get where we are now! We are glad to see they’re still going strong and that Alex Ayres is still part of the team today, 13 years down the line.”