Bridgwater & Albion 37 (Tries: Hafoka (21), Wulff 2 (37, 77), Hodge (29), Biggins (55). Cons: Milroy 3. Pens: Milroy 2 (3, 79).
Canterbury 17 (Tries: Forsyth (42), Pratt (58), Reilly (73). Con: Reilly.
Report courtesy of Bridgwater & Albion.
The game started well for Bridgwater. After only three minutes, Canterbury fell offside in midfield and Marshall Milroy calmed the home nerves with a penalty kick from 26 m.
Canterbury should have equalised after eight minutes but fly-half, De Kock was wide with a relatively easy dropped goal attempt.
Canterbury continued to take the game to Bridgwater but good home defence kept the visitors at bay. Eventually, Bridgwater stole the ball in a tackle and a penalty kick took them into Canterbury territory.
A terrific passage of play in which Bridgwater quickly re-cycled the ball half a dozen times caused confusion in the Canterbury defence and they conceded another penalty. Bridgwater kicked to the corner, won the line-out, and set up a rolling maul. When it collapsed over the line, hooker, Simon Hafoka was credited with the try which was then superbly converted by Milroy from the touchline.
Reilly should have reduced the deficit but missed a simple penalty kick for Canterbury.
Bridgwater hit back with some enterprising play culminating in a great touch kick by Wulff. Although Canterbury won the line-out, Woodbridge’s clearing kick was charged down by Hodge who managed to keep hold of the ball and cross in the corner for an unconverted try.
With Matt Britton in the bin, Canterbury threw everything into attack. Winger, Pratt caught a beautiful cross-kick and seemed to evade the defence but was prevented from scoring by a raised touch-judges flag.
Despite being down to 14 men, Bridgwater came back strongly. Wulff intelligently chipped ahead and Elisara tackled the Canterbury catcher. Wulff hacked on the loose ball and although he had difficulty in controlling it at first, gathered it at the second attempt and scored a crushing try. Milroy converted easily for a 22-0 half time lead.
Canterbury came out with all guns blazing and after an initial break by Sykes, prop, Jamie Forsyth, crashed over for an unconverted try.
Edwards then went close for Bridgwater when he just failed to gather a chip ahead but Bridgwater were not to be denied. At a defensive scrum, the Canterbury defence lost the ball and Owen Biggins pounced to score another unconverted try and secure a bonus point.
After Bridgwater had been penalised for offside, Canterbury moved the ball to the right and winger Andrew Pratt scored an unconverted try.
For the second match running at Bridgwater, one of the officials, this time touch judge, Ron Smerdon, was injured, and was replaced by Tony Pomeroy.
Canterbury were not done and centre, Reilly broke through to score under the posts and also drop-kicked the conversion before Bridgwater could retreat behind the goal line.
Bridgwater’s fifth try was worth waiting for. A loose ball inside the Bridgwater half was snapped up and the ball moved quickly to Hancock on the left. He outpaced his marker and with only the full-back to beat, gave an intelligent inside pass to Wulff who scored easily. Milroy converted from wide out and also kicked a penalty in the final minute to give Bridgwater a very convincing 37-17 win.
Cinderford 32 (Tries: Deacon 2 (11, 45), Stapleton (79), Eziogwe (80). Cons: Greenaway 3. Pens: Greenaway 2 (23, 73).
Old Patesians 17 (Tries: Penalty try (16), Norman (54). Cons: Nock 2. Pen: Nock (30).
Late home win for Cinderford against Old Patesians with them trailing 17-15 going into the last ten minutes of the game.
Prop Andy Deacon gave the home side the lead on 11 minutes with the games opening try. Soon after OP were in front after being awarded a penalty try and Rob Nock converted to make it 7-5. Philip Greenaway put over a penalty for the home side soon after and they were 8-7 ahead. Nock gave the visitors the lead again soon after with a penalty goal and they took a 10-8 lead into the half time break.
Five minutes into the second half and Cinderford were back in front with a second try from Deacon and Greenaway converted for 15-10. Ten minutes later and OP were back in front with a try from left wing Matt Norman and Nock converted to make it 17-15.
Greenaway gave the home side the lead on 73 minutes with a penalty goal before they got two very late tries to wrap up the win.
Clifton 13 (Try: Lindegaard (32). Con: Barnes. Pens: Barnes 2 (40, 42)
Rosslyn Park 15 (Tries: R Jackson (24), Rodman (67). Con: Mahony. Pen: Mahony (75).
Huge game at the bottom of the table and it went the way of the visitors with Park coming through to win in the final quarter.
The visitors were first on the scoreboard when full back Richard Jackson went over for a 24th minute try and a 5-0 lead.
Clifton were in front on 32 minutes when centre Ben Lindegaard went over and John Barnes converted and made it 10-5 on 40 minutes with a penalty goal.
Barnes increased the home sides lead on 42 minutes with his second penalty goal.
On 67 minutes Park were right back into it when flanker Doug Rodman touched down and Richard Mahony converted. On 75 minutes he kicked the visitors to a victory with a penalty goal.
Dings Crusaders 25 (Tries: Phillips (24), Edwards (38), Bufton (45), Wright Hyder (50). Con: Griffiths. Pen: Griffiths (42).
Havant 31 (Tries: Petzer (16), Frith (55), Ramus (60), McGovern (70), Avery (77). Cons: Ngapaku 3.
Dings dominated the first hour of this match scoring 4 tries and building a lead of 25-5 but not for the first time this season they fell apart in the last quarter when Havant showed the form that has seen them win nine of their last ten outings.
Dominating the opening stages Dings missed three early penalty attempts first from stand off David Woods and then two from centre Gareth Griffiths. On 15 mins against the run of play it was Havant first on the score sheet after a drive by their pack deep into the Dings 22 the ball was moved along the back line with full back Anton Petzer providing the overlap to score unopposed in the left corner.
Dings drew level on 22 minutes with a try from No 8 James Phillips on hand to finish off a great drive by the pack. With the Dings pack now well on top with lock Dave Bufton and prop Chas Meddick having outstanding games the visitors defence was at full stretch and they held firm until the final minute of the half when powerhouse wing Sylvan Edwards bundled over in the corner to secure a halftime lead of 10-5 to Dings.
Dings opened the second half as they finished the first and after a Griffiths penalty lock Dave Bufton scored the best try of the match, the ball was moved through practically the whole Dings team with some dozen passes before Bufton touched down in the corner. Five minutes later centre Chris Wright-Hider got Dings fourth try converted by Griffiths for a lead of 25-5 on 50 minutes.
After a lengthy stoppage for an injury to Havant scrum half Simon Cole Havant upped the pace of the game and forced Dings onto the back foot and after stand off Ngapaku drove a penalty to the corner the pack obliged with a line out catch and drive for No 8 Graeme Frith to get the try to reduce the arrears to 25-10 on 57 minutes. The game was probably lost for Dings on 60 minutes when experienced replacement prop Paul Johnstone was sin binned for a lineout infringement, in the period that Dings were reduced to 14 men Havant scored two tries through drives by their pack, the first from Ali Ramus and the second from Bradley Mockford both converted by Pucs Ngapaku to bring the visitors to within one point at 24-25 with 10 minutes remaining.
With Havant now well in charge the winning try went to wing Cam Avery on 78 minutes after more great work by the visitors pack, Ngapaku added the conversion for a final score of 31-25 to Havant. Full credit to Havant for a great last twenty minutes and a very good comeback from 20 points down, Dings secured two valuable bonus points but will surely look upon this game as three points lost rather than two gained.
North Walsham 5 (Try:
Westcombe Park 41 (Tries: Hayman (21), Hardcastle (33), Naden, Roux 2, Purdy. Cons: Whittingham 4. Pen: Whittingham.)
Just what Combe needed all five points to keep in touch with leaders Southend and stay ahead of the chasing pack.
They were 22-0 ahead at the break with three tries already on the scoreboard. They got the try bonus point with a try from scrum half Gideon Roux and James Whittingham converted.
Southend 55 (Tries: Connors (12), Billings (18), McKeith 2 (22, 71), Soolefai 3 (24, 42, 57), C Green (80). Cons: Frost 5.
Hertford 29 (Tries: Baseley (34), Wilson 2 (45, 77), Davies (53), Wood (61). Cons: Davies 2.).
Southend pick up all five points with this comprehensive win over struggling Hertford at Warners Bridge running in nine tries but allowing Hertford to run in five of their own.
The home side had the try bonus point in the bag after just 24 minutes as they opened up a 24-0 lead in as many minutes.
The visitors finally got off the mark on 34 minutes when second row Ben Baseley went over for a try. Before the break though Southend were over for try number five with right wing Andrew Frost going over and adding the extras to make it 31-5 at half time.
The second half was a 24 all draw with both sides running in four tries apiece. Faapulou Soolefai went on to complete a hat trick for the home side and fly half Ben McKeith completed a double. For the visitors flanker Craig Wilson bagged a brace.
Chinnor P Lydney P |
