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Sat 30 Mar 2019 · Tribute Somerset Premier
Imperial
United (2nds)
54
41
Tries: R Bennett (4), M McCarthy (3)Conversions: A Tilsley (3)
Imperial 54 Weston Utd 41
Chris heath1 Apr 2019 - 17:49
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Bennetts four try heroics fail to save Utd
Despite an outstanding personal performance by Full Back Ross Bennett the Utd succumbed to a second successive defeat this time by fourth in the table Imperial.
On a warm afternoon in South Bristol skipper Chris Young won the toss and decided to play up the slope in the first half.
Things didn't start well with the hosts scoring an early try through some dubious defending. Bennett equalised soon after with a well taken effort before actually giving the visitors the lead on the quarter hour with a superb try. However this seemed to spur Imperial into action and they proceeded to score three converted tries in a row before Bennetts hat trick effort gave Weston some respite. Fly half Archie Tilsley converted this one but the hosts went further in front just before half time with another converted try to give them a seventeen point cushion at half time.
After scoring with another converted effort just after the break it looked as if it was going to be one of those afternoons.
Weston though to their credit threw caution to the wind and ran the ball wide at every opportunity and this approach paid dividends when right wing Mike McCarthy added to his tally this season with two quick fire efforts both converted by Tilsley.
Bennett who was outstanding throughout got a well deserved fourth to cut the lead to four points and a great comeback was on the cards.
The game then turned on a couple of decisions with hooker Tom Hocking penalised for chatting after he was deemed not to have been taken high when on the opposition line and then tight head Steve Donegan who had ruled the roost in a dominant scrum was penalised for I know not what and neither did he. Imperial scored from this transgression and although McCarthy got his third and a well deserved hat trick soon after Weston now only six points in arrears allowed the hosts to round things off with yet another converted try.
The back row of Adam Fisher Ben Cox and Rich Ford playing out of position at blindside worked tirelessly all afternoon and Donegan played the whole eighty much to his credit. The lineout was a definite improvement on previous weeks and the form of McCarthy and especially Bennett were very much positives from the afternoon.
On a warm afternoon in South Bristol skipper Chris Young won the toss and decided to play up the slope in the first half.
Things didn't start well with the hosts scoring an early try through some dubious defending. Bennett equalised soon after with a well taken effort before actually giving the visitors the lead on the quarter hour with a superb try. However this seemed to spur Imperial into action and they proceeded to score three converted tries in a row before Bennetts hat trick effort gave Weston some respite. Fly half Archie Tilsley converted this one but the hosts went further in front just before half time with another converted try to give them a seventeen point cushion at half time.
After scoring with another converted effort just after the break it looked as if it was going to be one of those afternoons.
Weston though to their credit threw caution to the wind and ran the ball wide at every opportunity and this approach paid dividends when right wing Mike McCarthy added to his tally this season with two quick fire efforts both converted by Tilsley.
Bennett who was outstanding throughout got a well deserved fourth to cut the lead to four points and a great comeback was on the cards.
The game then turned on a couple of decisions with hooker Tom Hocking penalised for chatting after he was deemed not to have been taken high when on the opposition line and then tight head Steve Donegan who had ruled the roost in a dominant scrum was penalised for I know not what and neither did he. Imperial scored from this transgression and although McCarthy got his third and a well deserved hat trick soon after Weston now only six points in arrears allowed the hosts to round things off with yet another converted try.
The back row of Adam Fisher Ben Cox and Rich Ford playing out of position at blindside worked tirelessly all afternoon and Donegan played the whole eighty much to his credit. The lineout was a definite improvement on previous weeks and the form of McCarthy and especially Bennett were very much positives from the afternoon.
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