Seasiders secure important opening day win

Weston took on the challenge of the longest trip in the league on the opening day and travelled to Cornwall for their first outing in South West One West and came away with a victory after a nail biting second half which went right down to the wire. This match turned out to be every bit as tough as you would expect at a ground where the home side have only lost seven times in the last six seasons.

Weston took the lead in the fourth minute through a Glenn Dickson penalty and could have increased their lead in the seventh minute when a scrum inside the hosts twenty metre line led to Dickson ghosting through a gap only to have the ball dislodged from his hand by the home full back in the act of scoring, a score which wpuld have opened up the gap to thirteen points at a time when the Seasiders were very much on top. Weston however increased their lead through another Dickson penalty in the fourteenth minute. Weston now had the hit on in the scrum and looked set to score again but knocked on near the line.

The Camborne line held and in a sweeping move flanker Sam Matavesi scored near the posts for try that was converted by scrum half Taron Peacock. This put the hosts in front for the only time in the game as shortly after Weston produced a superb passage of play involving captain George Sparks lock Andrew Glen scrum half Hayden Tuttiett hooker Rich Ford and centre Harry Jones who combined to put right wing Chris Young over for an excellent score.

This was to prove the last realistic rugby of the first half although an altercation right on half time led to lock Glen being yellow carded along with Peacock from Camborne.

The second half started with a missed penalty for the visitors but from the resulting drop out Sparks gathered the ball and released prop Sam Coles who put Jones away on a mazy run that resulted in the elusive centre crossing for a great try. Weston could have scored soon after when the industrious Tuttiett retrIeved the ball in his own twenty metre area and set off on a long run which ended in his kick forward being retrieved by the host flanker to avoid a further score.

Camborne now put pressure on and were all over Weston and deservedly cut the lead when centre Ben Jordan cut a fine line to score a converted try following good pressure from the Camborne forwards. Weston were definitely up against it but in the seventy fifth minute relief came when outside centre Matt Burns intercepted a long pass to race seventy metres for a try under the posts which was converted by Dickson.

Camborne looked to have scored, only for the try to be ruled out for a double movement. However,the home side never gave up and reduced the lead yet again to two points when prop Andrius Zacharovas crossed for another try converted by Peacock.

The final whistle came as somewhat of a relief to the visitors who can take some positives out of this victory as it is probably a game they would have lost last season, and at times showed some of the more expansive style they have been working hard on in training. A big plus was the performance of hooker Rich Ford, in his first game in this position following a potential long term switch from prop.

Thanks to the Camborne club who were excellent hosts to the players and the band of vets players who gave the Weston team great support throughout the day. We look forward to reciprocating your generous hospitality on the final day of the season.

Congratulations to Weston debutants Bryan Webb and Blaine Tottle on their first league appearances for the club.

Weston host Coney Hill in their first home game this Saturday kick off 3pm.