Agen agony for Gloucester
By Tony Curtis
Last Updated: 01/01/70 1:00am
Gloucester's Heineken Cup hopes are hanging by a thread after they crashed 32-26.
Gloucester 26-32 Agen, Heineken Cup Pool 2, Saturday October 28
Gloucester's Heineken Cup hopes are hanging by a thread after they crashed 32-26 at home to French club Agen.
Anthony Allen celebrated his England call-up with two impressive tries but Dean Ryan's side have now lost their opening two Pool Two games and qualification looks a distant dream.
Ryan Lamb knocked over a couple of early penalties to give the hosts a decent start before Agen scored with their first attack of the match.
Man of the Match Rupeni Caucaunibuca made good forward progress after a poor clearance attempt by England full-back Iain Balshaw and the move ended with centre Arnaud Mignardi crashing over from close range.
Lamb added a third penalty after 17 minutes, but three minutes later Agen crossed for their second touchdown from a move that began with Lamb gifting the ball to the visitors in an ill-advised counter-attack from deep.
Prop Pieter Van Niekerk was not to be denied from close range, taking Gloucester hooker Mefin Davies over the line with him in the process of scoring.
Fly-half Jerome Miquel added the extras and then a penalty as the visitors stretched their lead.
But with the Kingsholm crowd starting to grow restive, Gloucester were spurred into belated action by the sin-binning of Agen wing Dave Vainqueur in the 34th minute for killing the ball.
Allen quickly located a gap in the Agen defensive line to race through and score and although Lamb missed the extras, Gloucester headed for the sheds with the half-time deficit just 15-14.
But when the game resumed, Gloucester were quickly on the back foot once more and number eight Thomas Soucaze finished off a superb move with a try that Miquel converted, before Agen claimed their try-scoring bonus point after Caucaunibuca again broke clear of the flailing defence before sending replacement centre Conrad Stoltz over.
Allen gave his side some hope with a wonderful sprint for his second try, converted by Willie Walker and another substitute Frenchman Olivier Azam, got Gloucester even closer by finishing off a forward drive.
But Walker failed to convert and Agen replacement fly-half Francois Gelez landed the late drop-goal that puts Gloucester's European hopes in jeopardy heading into the international break.
