Weston let lead slip

For seventy minutes of this match, Weston were in control and will be kicking themselves for not putting the game to bed when the opportunity was there, although a couple of arbitrary but key decisions went against them at critical moments.

However it was not to be and Bournemouth scored twelve points in the last ten minutes while Weston had been reduced to thirteen men by Devon referee Brian Barclay who issued yellow cards to Simpson (perhaps warranted) and Middlemiss (a total mystery) !

The visitors kicked off with the breeze at their backs and took the lead after six minutes with a penalty from their full back. This was cancelled out after 18 minutes with debutant fly-half Matthew Fotheringham, who looks an excellent prospect, kicking his first points for the club. A second Bournemouth penalty followed after 29 minutes but the home side responded with a corner try, courtesy of theforwards from an attacking lineout and touched down by prop David Price. Fotheringham converted magnificently from the touchline to give Weston a 10-6 half time lead.

The Weston forwards were giving their opponents a torrid time. Two strikes were won against the head and the Bournemouth pack was shunted backwards at will. Their front row appeared to have great difficulty in even staying bound. Perversely this did not always help the home side. Prop forward Doneghan was penalised for “pushing too hard and making his opponent stand up!!!”.....Is this a new law?

The lead was increased five minutes after the break. Middlemiss, who had tackled ferociously all game, made forty yards with some elusive running and Burge, in support, put flanker Hobbs in for a simple score. The conversion was missed but the lead was increased to 18-6 after 50 minutes with Fotheringhams’ second penalty.

Bournemouth added two penalties to one from Weston after 65 minutes, but at 21-12, Weston should have closed the game out. The visitors, to their credit, and who thus far had not looked like scoring a try, started to play with more commitment and to pressurise the home line.
Scrum half Hardcastle wriggled over for a scrappy corner try which was well converted and Westons’ healthy 18-6 lead had shrivelled to 21-19 with ten minutes remaining.

Worse was to follow. Flanker Simpson and Middlemiss were both yellow carded and the visitors made the best of their numerical advantage. Winger Yarwood tripped along the touchline and instead of being flattened into the car park, he was ushered over the line courtesy of some absolutely woeful tackling for a 24-21 totally unexpected lead.

A second try when Westons’ reduced numbers were overstretched was scored after 77 minutes but by this time, confusion, anger, frustration and lack of interest had beset both crowd and players alike. What had been a competitive and hard fought game for 70 minutes had been decided in ten farcical minutes at the end.

Bournemouth must have been pinching themselves in disbelief.

Weston team…Sam Waterman, Steve Thompson, Chris Young, Alec Hughes, Kirk Middlemiss, Matt Fotheringham, Jack Conway (Ross Bennett), David Price, David Burge,Steve Doneghan, (Simon Williams), Andrew Glen, Ashley Russell, Gavin Simpson, Kevin Hobbs, George Sparks.

Match report courtesy of Tony Russell and Match photos by Andrew Collins.