Disjointed Weston make final
Despite a disjointed performance, in which too many players were outfought by their opponent, Weston made it through to the Combination Cup Final.
JAMIE Rudkin’s brace of identical tries went a long way towards securing victory in this GWB Combination Cup semi-final at Broad Plain RFC on Tuesday.
The flanker’s tries, either side of the interval, took the Seasiders to 12-7 after Chris Young had added the conversion of the second.
Barton Hill, who play their league matches in Western Counties North, were more than worthy opponents and they went ahead on the half-hour with a try by John Sansum, converted by Jack Steer.
But, just before the break, Rudkin’s first try from Ashley Russell’s catch and drive gave Weston some impetus and in the fifth minute of the second half, the same combination produced the same outcome following a 40-metre drive. It was Rudkin’s fifth try in the previous four matches.
The Seasiders were almost safe 15 minutes later when an attack down the right touchline saw full-back Joe Waterman get under Young’s accurate kick ahead to score his team’s third try.
Steer scored Barts’ deserved consolation in the fourth minute of time added but it is Weston who will proceed to the final when they will meet Dings Crusaders from National 2 at Bristol’s Memorial Stadium on May 4.
Weston: J Waterman, G Wright, C Young, K Middlemiss, P Sprague (D Steele 79), J Reid (S Waterman 65), R Bennett (O Trott 50), D Swann (S Donegan 58), C Withers (D Elliott 81), A Glen (c), A Russell, S Eaton, J Rudkin, G Simpson (S Board h/t).
Photos courtesy of Paul Bignell.
