Seasiders lose cup final in extra time thriller

A crowd of around two thousand witnessed a spectacle that was not only a credit to both sides but to the town and a game befitting of the cup final.
The eagerly awaited match got under way and within two minutes Weston took the lead when centre Kirk Middlemiss was taken out illegally and fly half Glenn Dickson slotted the penalty. However the fly half left the field shortly after with a recurrence of a ham string injury to be replaced by Dan Lomax.
Hornets hit back and took the lead through centre Adam Francis after a sustained passage of play which ended with Francis making a tremendous line break to cross.
With Hornets on the offensive Weston winger Matt Watkins saw yellow through a case of mistaken identity after a high tackle. Hornets took advantage of the situation when prop Connor Baker took advantage of some shoddy defence to cross.
Weston hit back when captain George Sparks who was quite outstanding all night made a break and after Middlemiss and hooker Mike Hocking carried the move on Lomax went through a gap to cut the lead. Weston then went into half time with a four point lead through two Lomax penalties.
The second half was no less relentless than the first. Weston gave a penalty away and Hornets elected to kick to the corner. From the catch and drive that followed blindside flanker Chris Francis who also had an excellent game scored and this time fly half James Leatherby converted to give Hornets a three point lead. Weston were now wobbling and with Hornets number eight Matt Parker having a storming game Hornets increased their lead when Leatherby converted his own well taken try to put further distance to the score. Weston however hit back and from a Lomax kick to the corner following a penalty flanker Rich Bignell who was also excellent throughout crossed to put Weston within five points. Towards the end of full time this pulsating encounter took another twist when Weston scrum half Hayden Tuttiett evened up the tie and so the score remained until the end.
Extra time arrived and two very tired teams who had given their all took to the field for another twenty minutes. Weston took the lead through a Lomax penalty but after Weston flanker Paul Morrissey was yellow carded for an innocuous incident Hornets lock Courtney Harris scored the winning try which Leatherby converted to secure the cup for Hornets.
For Weston Sparks and Bignell were excellent throughout as were Middlemiss lock Ash Russell and Hocking.
For Hornets Scrum half Sean Disney was also outstanding throughout as was winger Charlie Carter flanker Chris Francis and man of the match Matt Parker.