Rugby round-up: United blow Tor away (From Somerset County Gazette)

Rugby round-up: United blow Tor away

3:10pm Wednesday 11th November 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share

Somerset Premier: Taunton 2nd XV 61, Tor 3.

TAUNTON United produced a fantastic second-half display to blow visiting Tor away to continue their fine run.

Tor opened the scoring with Matt Hyde kicking an early penalty but that was to be the end of their scoring.

Taunton soon got into their stride, with forwards laying a great platform for scrum half Nick Williams and this quick ball let the backs run riot.

Gavin Hancock started the scoring, slipping up the touchline to score out wide, unconverted.

Paddy Dean kicked three penalties s Tor were guilty of being offside in rucks and, before half-time an attack out wide put John Gatford through a gap to score under the posts.

Everything simply clicked into place for Taunton in the second half.

From a scrum Williams spotted a gap to dart under the posts, Dean converting, and from the kick off the ball, great link play from Jacques Botha put Nic Sestaret away, unconverted.

A break in midfield, with the ball going through many hands, ended with Sam Blythe blasting through and Dean converted. Dean the scored a try after another fast ruck opened up a huge gap and he the converted his own try.

Sestaret scored his second try as his pace proved too much for Tor, Dean added the extras and Dave Webber finished it off the scoring with a run from 50 metres out. Webber then converting his own try.

Somerset One: Gordano 28, Wiveliscombe 8.

WIVELISCOMBE relinquished their 100% winning record in Bristol on Saturday as Gordano maintained theirs.

Leaders Gordano won the game in the second half, scoring three tries to Wivey’s one.

Playing into the wind in the first half, Wivey competed well but lacked the fluency of previous games.

The back line had to be reshuffled with James Escott and Felix Wood both unavailable and experienced pair Eamon Bingham and James Canagh took their places.

Prop Ian England was also unavailable and was replaced by Stuart Horman.

Gordano went into a 6-0 lead with two penalties from number ten, William Virgo. Wivey’s captain Gareth Bellamy replied with a penalty of his own but flanker Paul Richards put Gordano further in front with a forward orientated try and Will Virgo converted to put 13-3 ahead.

Wivey struggled to put any constructive play together in the second period and it was Gordano who increased their lead with a Matt Poolson try to go 18-3 up.

The home side wrapped up the victory when full back Frank Young intercepted a loose Wivey pass to score under the posts and Virgo converted.

Wivey did manage a consolation try with full back Tom Chaffey, as he did in previous games, finding a hole in the home defence. However, Virgo with his third penalty but the icing on the cake for Gordano.

WIVEY 2nds’ home league match against Wells was cancelled as the visitors failed to raise a team.

On Saturday, Wivey 1sts are home to Combe Down, the 2nds travel to play Morganians and the Colts are away to Chard.

Somerset Three South: Tor 3rd XV 5, Wyvern 12.

WITH neither side able field a full strength side, this was a scrappy affair.

Wyvern started convincingly with a well-worked try but Tor made sure it not going to be a walk in the park for Wyvern.

Much of the second half saw Wyvern on the defensive but they restricted Tor to just one try. The scrum, in particular, held firm against a big Tor pack, with the front row of Andy Cunnigham, Andrew 'Moley' Freeman and Mark Palmer proving too strong.

The game was cut short by three minutes due to an injury to Wyvern utility back Al Goodwin, serious enough for the air ambulance to make a visit to Glastonbury but, thankfully no lasting damage has been done.

Somerset Colts League: Taunton 24, Clevedon 5.

TAUNTON clinched victory in their top of the table clash at home to Clevedon.

The game was always destined to be a tough tussle between the only unbeaten sides in the league and so it proved.

In the first half where the larger Clevedon pack controlled most of the exchanges. The younger and more mobile Taunton eight defended stoutly limiting Clevedon to very little space with Stokes, Busak and Chidlow outstanding.

Indeed, it was this constant defensive pressure that enabled the first score of the match after 33 minutes, Stonier crashing over. That was the only score of a very tense first half which ended 5-0 in the home side’s favour.

After half time, strong running from the Taunton three-quarters saw centre Latchford go over, converted by Hill.

Quicker ball from outstanding scrum half Bartlett, allowed fly half Iles to control the midfield and, after a ‘chip and chase’, he put Taunton 17-0 up.

Clevedon fought back and crossed for their only score but Taunton continued to frustrate their Clevedon opponents, flanker Cooper constantly vexing the opposition.

The result was sealed with the tireless Busak crossing for a converted try.

Somerset Colts League: Wiveliscombe 15, North Petherton 7.

WIVEY’S U-19s were back in action after a couple of weeks without a game and were made to work hard for their victory but ran out deserved winners.

Try scorers for the home team were captain Charlie Harper and Jacob Ayres. Fly half George Rowe converted one of the tries and also added one penalty.

• Print
• Email
• Share