Home side triumph in tight match

Considering the weather, this was a pretty good and well contested game and the Redingensian groundsman deserves great credit. The pitch was excellent.
With one try apiece, this match was all about penalties, and referee Doug Neagle gave the home side fly half Guy Spudling an afternoon of kicking practice. Mackay, for the visitors, had the rare experience of a blank afternoon, but to be fair, he had few opportunities. Having said that, Weston were not at their best for the second week running. Redingensians have stuttered somewhat this season but they came out more committed, and they shaded the early exchanges as Westons’ usually dominant pack took an age to get moving. Their first penalty came after five minutes, and so it continued with further successful kicks on 20 and 35 minutes. The visitors had by this time put the journey behind them and normal service was resumed on the stroke of half time as the forwards drove their opponents over their line for Burge to score. 9-5 was probably a fair reflection at this stage.
The second half brought more of the same. Spudling added a fourth goal for a seven point lead following ten minutes of fierce defence from Weston, during which the Ensians pack was unable to cross the line. However the home side got their try after 65 minutes when a missed tackle in midfield gave one of their backs a simple run in for a try which was converted. The visitors’ Sparks received a yellow for a technical offence (Redingensians “short fuse” flanker Hopkins received nothing for a blatant punch) but the Weston seven had the better of the last quarter without being able to score, and Weston camped on the home try line as the final whistle blew….one of those frustrating days!!
Weston team…Bennett, Oupuh, Jones, Edwards, Arnold, Mackay, Smee, Swan, Burge, Hobbs (Donegan), Somers, Russell, Wright(Simpson), Hobbs K,(Sprague), Sparks.