WOOTTON Bassett took a break from league action to play a friendly away to Gloucestershire side Painswick and lost 22-0.

Bassett took the opportunity to give first-team experience to some of their younger players and to give a few of the older hands a run-out.

Coach Nick Cavill played his first game for four years at the age of 42 as the visitors gave a good account of themselves in the first half.

Painswick led by just seven points at the interval, but they were a good hard side and pulled away in the second period, scoring three tries as Bassett wilted towards the end.

The second XV played a social match against the Brian Smith XV, in aid of the ex-club captain.

The visitors won the Farmers' Shield with a 19-0 victory.

Club spokesman George Loughlin, who took to the field for the first time in six years, said: "It was a social game, but it was a very competitive social game. The referee had to blow his whistle quite a few times when it got a bit too competitive."