Old Cryptians head to Coney Hill on Saturday in confident mood after a fine win over high-flying Hucclecote last time out.

A try in the final couple of minutes clinched a thrilling 33-32 victory over a side who had won four of their opening five games in Counties 3 Gloucestershire North.

Prop Paul Knight got the decisive touchdown which put the home side one point ahead and Jack Flounders, who took over as head coach at the start of the season, said: “It was a massive win, huge.”

It was Old Cryptians’ second league win of the campaign and Flounders, who provided the offload for Knight to score, is hoping his team can push on in the next few weeks and months.

They are ninth in the 12-strong table and Flounders continued: “We’re building a bit of momentum, it was our second win in a row with us beating Widden Old Boys in the Community Cup the week before. 

“Coney Hill is a big fixture, if we can build on the win against Hucclecote then that will add to the momentum as we move into a busy period of fixtures for both 1st and 2nd teams.“

Full-back William Trumper was the star of that win over Hucclecote with two tries and four conversions.

“He had a stormer of a game,” said Flounders, who is 33 and recently moved back to Gloucester. 

Wing Ryan Hooper and number 8 Alfie Smith got their other tries – both played junior rugby for Old Cryptians – and former St Peter’s Sixth Form pupil Flounders added: “It’s a very tough division, anyone can beat anyone, it’s very competitive.

“It can chop and change very quickly, we lost narrowly to Spartans who have had a good start this season.

"We’ve picked up some bonus points from playing an attacking style of rugby, which are proving important.”

Old Cryptians, who are celebrating their 100th anniversary, mean a lot to Flounders, who first started playing for the club when he was 12.

“I played in all the age group teams,” said Flounders, who went on as a replacement against Hucclecote.

“I was part of the 1st team squad that saw success in the years just before Covid.”

That squad won the old Gloucestershire One title in 2019/20 and also had a couple of exciting runs in the RFU Junior Vase, but post-Covid, like a number of clubs, they have been forced to rebuild.

Old Cryptians finished fourth of 10 last season – the reorganisation of the league means that the division is much stronger this season - and Flounders continued: “The aim is to kick on and build on the foundations from last season. 

“We’ve got a really good, young, close-knit group. It’s an exciting side and I want them to play exciting rugby.”

And it’s a side that Flounders knows well because he coached many of them when they were age group players at the club.

“I coached a junior side from 12 to 18 until seven years ago, alongside my brother Josh, so it’s come full circle that we are now coaching the senior side,” he said.

“And we have more than 25 players who are playing regularly week in, week out that have graduated from our junior ranks, and a good number of them are competing in the 1st XV.

“We’re running two teams and an occasional vets’ side, but I’d love to run a 3rd XV. We’ve got the numbers if everyone is available.”

Old Cryptians welcome all new players and train 6.45-8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesday’s sessions are at the club’s ground in Tuffley Avenue and and Thursday’s sessions are at Plock Court.