Stoppage time penalty try seals victory for Weston

Chippenham have never beaten Weston, but they came within two minutes of getting this “monkey off their back” in a tight encounter.

The visitors have been the perennial yo-yo side for the past few years, being regularly promoted from the League below, and then being relegated the following season, but they have retrenched well this season and have had some good results giving a solid mid table position. They will be around next season.

Weston went into the game without a recognised scrum half, and without a proven goal kicker, and very nearly paid the price. They will thank the superiority of their forwards, and specifically their front five who comfortably out scrummaged and out muscled their opposition, pushing them at will and stealing two strikes against the head.

The visitors took the lead after six minutes with a simple penalty from scrum half L. Surry. Play remained even for the next twenty minutes. Weston then took up position on the opposition line, and after two collapsed scrums, and no penalty try (although referee Doug Neagle did issue a strong warning), pushed Chippenham over the line at the third attempt for a forwards try, touched down by scrum half Young.

The kick was missed but four minutes later, from a rare back movement, Watkins was given enough space to run easily past the weak tackle of the hapless Ryan Surry, and feed the supporting Sparks who ran twenty metres unchallenged for a second try, which once again went unconverted, although with the home side now dominant, 10-3 up and in the driving seat, it didn’t seem to matter.

After 38 minutes, Weston again took up position near the Chippenham line. A five metre lineout was won. The catch and drive beckoned but strange decision making and a crooked throw got the visitors off the hook.

They made ground and on the stroke of half time won a rare attacking scrum on the home line. This was defended well but after six further minutes of close range tackling (a new watch for Christmas Mr. Neagle !!!???), an indeterminate hand got the touchdown ….after 46 minutes!!!!!

The conversion was successful and what looked like being a potential 17-3 lead for Weston had turned into a 10-10 scoreline at half time.

Things got worse for the home side as the visitors, sniffing a rare opportunity, laid siege to the Weston line, and after a series of rucks, found the space for Surry to run in on the overlap from five metres for a simple corner try, and a slice of his outstanding debt to his 14 team members repaid.

The next fifteen minutes were played in no mans land, with Westons’ backs totally out of sorts, and Chippenham grimly hanging on to their lead, but with five minutes remaining, the home side won a line out ten metres out.

This time the throw was good. Russell set up the driving maul. Chippenham could not defend the ensuing scrums, and at the third time of asking, after two collapses, the referee rightly awarded the penalty try. Kimmins converted and Weston had got out of gaol.

Team…Hurd (Young 55 mins), Sprague, Kimmins, Evans, Watkins, Roberts, Young (Trott 55), Swann (Price 70), Burge, Donegan, Sommers, Russell (Eaton 79), Rudkin, Bignell, Sparks.