Last play agony for Weston

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

Weston narrowly failed to pull this one out of the fire in an entertaining game of the proverbial “two halves.”
The Clubs’ playing resources have been stretched to the limit with a spate of injuries, and with Wednesday nights’ splendid destruction of Taunton in the Somerset Cup still fresh in the mind, and
also in battered bodies, the first half performance came as no surprise.
The visitors opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a simple penalty from Michael Chandler, and increased their lead three minutes later with a short range effort from Stapley.
8-0 became 15-0 after 19 minutes when centre Reynolds touched down from a regulation backs move. Chandler managed to convert from short range.
Weston weren’t in the game at this stage although Reid kicked a penalty to reduce the arrears by three points.

Redingensians do have a proven set of backs and total confusion in the defensive alignment allowed full back Marsh to stroll through untouched for a soft third try. Chandler missed the simple conversion but at 20-3 down, Weston were looking down the gun barrel.

The second half was totally different. The Redingensian pack is not a powerful unit and Westons’ forwards dominated from the kick off at both the set piece, and the line out.

Prop forward Swann was driven over the line after two minutes. The conversion was missed.

The visitors lost hooker Dewland as their front row struggled to compete, and replacement Russell,who didn’t seem to understand the laws, was despatched to the sin bin within three minutes of his arrival !

The Weston forwards once again drove their depleted opponents over for second row Board to touch down. This time Reid converted and the home side was back in the game at 20-15.

A fine break down the left wing by Thompson, and his deft inside pass enabled Burns to tie things up after 64 minutes.

Redingensians were finding it hard to even encroach on Weston territory, but circumstances contrived against the home side. The dreaded uncontested scrums were invoked as the visitors lost a second front row forward. It’s just what a dominant pack doesn’t want, and Westons’ momentum stalled as the visitors were allowed gratuitous possession from the set piece.

Nevertheless they continued to press and Reid kicked a penalty on 79 minutes for a three point lead.

This was not to be enough. Referee Friend played on…and on…and on, and in their only visit to the home line, following a penalty award, Hopkins managed to cross …in the eleventh minute of injury time!!!! ………. Strange days indeed.

Weston team : Joe Waterman, Steve Thompson, Matt Burns(Jack Conway), Jon Gallagher, GeorgeWright, Ross Bennett, David Swann, Craig Withers, Steve Donegan (Simon Williams), Stuart Board,Ashley Russell, Jamie Rudkin, Richard Bignell,(Kevin Hobbs), George Sparks.