Due to the recent weather and extended Christmas break, Norton's First Team had only played three matches in the previous nine weekends, Coach, Lovell, and Captain, Denning, were keen to get back on the pitch and start with a bang.

Norton had to travel up the M5 to Gloucester to face Chosen Hill Former Pupils who, in the previous encounter back at Norton Down, had managed to kick a drop goal to steal the match in the dying seconds.

Norton won the toss and elected to play up the slope in the first half and despite having much of the possession, they struggled to get up the slope.

Following a dropped ball back on the visitors' twenty- two metre line, the home side had an attacking scrum and after a well-planned back row move, Norton's defence wasn't good enough to prevent the try. Shortly after, Chosen Hill's scrum half ghosted in from the back of a ruck for another score.

Norton hit straight back with some hard running through the loose forwards and centres. This saw them earn a penalty and from the resulting line-out, Norton mauled the ball over the line as Joe Button grounded the ball safely to bring the difference back to one try.

It was looking as though the half-time score was going to be 14–7, but again, Norton leaked a soft try in the dying seconds of the half.

At half-time, Norton were disappointed to be two tries down, but were confident that with the elements in their favour, they could camp down in the home side's half and get the scoreboard ticking over.

Norton did indeed camp down in Chosen Hill's half, but couldn't keep control of the ball to get any points on the board.

They did manage to score a second try after prop, Matthew Edgell, was found in space on the wing and sprinted with perfect technique from his own half to score in the corner, but with ten minutes to go, Norton's defence again was found wanting when the home side scored their fourth try to seal the win.

The match finished at 26–12 and the visitors could not really argue with the scoreline and can only blame themselves for the loss. Other than a good five-minute spell in the first half, the fifteen men didn't play well enough to beat a side who they felt they should have.

Next week, Norton travel to Berry Hill in the Forest of Dean. The club will be providing a coach for the players, there will be limited space available for supporters, so if supporters would like to travel on the coach, please can they contact Matthew Denning to book their seat.