CIRENCESTER'S second string got their new year campaign under way with an encouraging 45-0 victory at Gloucester Old Boys.

Cirencester were quick out of the blocks with a try from winger and captain Paul Mason, and this was swiftly followed with a score from a scrum with No 8 Giles Brockbank touching down.

The hosts then began to settle and the Whiteway team with Robin Baldwin and Richard Williams to the fore in the loose had to work hard up front to gain steady ball.

Eventually an overlap was created and Tom Barefoot ran in a try out wide .

As the first half came to a close Cirencester prop Nick Roberts finished off some good approach work and scored under the posts.

With Martin Crouch successful with three conversions, the visitors took a healthy 26-0 lead into half-time.

Playing up the slope the visitors had to shift up a gear in the second half and after some good sniping runs from scrum-half Nick Bassett and some more direct play by bullocking centre Dave Miles and wily veteran Rob Lister, Cirencester scored another try through winger Mason, who eluded some despairing tackles to touch down.

Minutes later Mason completed his hat-trick following some good handling by Town.

Old Boys never gave up, though, and they were unlucky to have a try disallowed when they breached the defence only for their winger to touch down over the five-metre line.

In the final play of the game Brockbank picked up from a scrum and ran half the length of the pitch to complete the scoring.

Crouch and Brockbank both converted in the second half to complete the tally.

This Saturday Cirencester's struggling first team travel to Old Bristolians for a vital Gloucestershire Premier League match, while the second team travel to Malvern and the third string await a home match.