These are heady days for Matson’s flagship team.

They are firmly established in third place in Western Counties North – they host Avonmouth Old Boys on Saturday – and are in the last eight of the RFU Intermediate Cup.

And it is Intermediate Cup, and with it the possibility of playing in a showpiece cup final at Twickenham before the end of the season, that has got everyone excited.

Club captain John Hennessy told The Local Answer last week they were prioritising the competition this season and club secretary Colin Thornton said: “It’s very exciting, we’d love to play at Twickenham.”

Matson moved a step closer to realising their dream when they won 23-7 at Kingsbridge in the South West Counties final five days ago.

Now they host Sherborne in the South West Division final on 16th March in what is sure to be another big occasion for the club.

Matson have been here before of course. Three years ago they reached the last four of the competition before losing out to Tunbridge Wells and everyone associated with the club is hoping that they can go one better this time around.

Not that Thornton is getting carried away.

“There are some very strong teams still in the competition,” he said, “Sherborne won’t be pushovers.”

Indeed they won’t. They top Southern Counties South having won all 16 of their matches so far, so it should be a great game when the two teams meet at Redwell Road.

Matson’s supporters will be hoping that home advantage can swing things in their favour and while the fans will have their role to play, Thornton believes it is the ethos of the club itself which will be even more important.

“We’re a very tight-knit club,” said the club’s one-time chairman and fixtures secretary. “Nearly all of our players have come through the youth system, most of them started at under-10s or under-11s.

“That’s a credit to the club and the coaches who brought them through.”

Indeed it is and although everything is rosy at the club, there is one thing that is troubling Thornton.

“Our 2nd XV can’t get enough games,” he said. “All they want to do is play – they’ll play anyone – but other teams keep crying off because they can’t raise a side, it’s very sad.”

It’s an increasing problem in rugby, but at least they’ll get some action when the North Gloucestershire Combination Junior Cup kicks off next month because they host Spartans in a first-round tie on Tuesday 16th April.