NPRFC - 1st XV vs Combe Down

Winning the toss Pethy played up the slope and were soon into their stride, forwards dominated well and moved up the pitch with some powerful runs. After a passage of play in midfield where both teams tested each others defence, Pethy took control and moved close, through a few breaks down the blind by both backs and forwards.

After a powerful forward drive they nearly drove over the line, but the home defence held, however within minutes a penalty kicked to the corner gave another chance, this time they were held up over the line, scrum was called, Pethy stacked the backs to the open side leaving a large blind in which James Lees picked up at 8, attacked the blind drawing flanker and wing, cleverly unloaded to Ben Williams at pace, who beat the fullback and scored. Conversion was missed.

The next followed fairly shortly with a line out drive that powered over with Ben Harvey claiming the try, conversion missed from out wide. The rest of the half Pethy made good breaks but were unable to get the final pass away. The home team did get into score areas but the Pethy defence were solid. However, with not long to half time a couple of poor decisions, combined with a concession of too many penalties, the home team drove a lineout over, which was unconverted.

Second half started as the first and it wasn’t long before Pethy had a kickable penalty which was drilled to the corner, trusting that the forwards could produce a try. They drove close, but were stopped just short, Lennox sent the ball out, Chris Burge picked a straight line charging at the defence, the ball came lose from a mini maul and Lloyd Williams was the quickest to react, picked up the ball and weaved his way over before the defence was set, it was unconverted. A solid restart gave L Williams an opportunity to kick down field but the ball went the wrong side of the corner flag and that meant a home team scrum. Outside the Pethy 22m, the home team camped out for some time, in which they had a couple of failed penalty kicks at goal, they also attacked continuously around the fringes, which for the second week running was offensive and often drove them backwards.

The next try and easily the best was a whole team effort, just outside of their 22m, a combination of a good tackle in the backs and the tackler getting to his feet quickly produced turnover ball, and livewire Lennox was quickly on the attack. In went through several backs hands before Lees carried it across the half way, keeping it alive the attack carried on down the right side of the pitch with great interplay between backs and forwards, Lennox got his hands on it again, and sent it to the other side of the pitch with a long ball to the speed man Jamie Adams who took the play down to the opposition 22m before sending yet another long pass to Matt Brown who was running down the tough line, and easily ran it over for a great try. It was successfully converted.

Again a poor restart relieved pressure on the home team, and yet more unnecessary penalties, pushed Pethy back within their own 22m, the home team gained a lineout close to the line and got the push on quickly, the Pethy pack stopped then before the line, but after several drives around the fringes the home team open side dived over in the corner, it was unconverted. (22-10)

Within minutes from the restart Pethy had a line out close to the home team line, after a long penalty kick to the corner, the forwards made easy work of the drive and this time Gavin Wolfe came up with the try, it was unconverted (27-10). Yet another poor restart put the pressure straight back on Pethy, but with good defence and disrupting the lineout’s well they soon got the ball back, with a long kicked that was chased well, meant the home side were pushed into touch near their 22m, the lineout was cleanly taken and a couple of drives by the forwards produced quick ball, Chris Burge again was sent up the middle drawing several backs, the ball came back quickly again at the ruck, Lennox was on hand to feed L Williams who changed sides at the last minute, attacking the blind, which was defended by forwards, Williams was supported by Harley Brown and James Lees but rounded the defenders to score under the posts, he converted. There was little time remaining and the game ended 34 – 10.

Pethy were pleased with the performance in general. The defence was good, even when the home side attacked from all areas in search of a score that would get them back into the game. The forwards showed an expansive attacking game if they were given any sort of space, Ben Harvey showed great strength and pace in the first half down the short side and Lees and M Brown were supported well and found themselves attacking in the back line.

The backs were organised in defence and put some good attacking moves together. Chris Burge in his last game before his tour of duty, worked tirelessly all day, always taking several players to drag him down, he also set the ball back producing quick ball to continue the attack. Lennox was everywhere and showed great organisation of the forwards in attack and defence.

Pethy will still be concerned with the restarts and the number of penalties that went against them in the ruck situation, they face a tough test this week, at home to an inform Nailsea and Backwell, who won 140-0 this weekend.

There was 3 first team players debuting this week, Jamie Adams who showed abundance of pace and strength to hold his own at this level, Chris Wand who had a solid game out of position at fullback and Neil Lennox (ex-Combe Down) who marshalled his forwards well, gave the back quick ball at every opportunity and demonstrated a useful kicking game.

H/T: 5-10

Tries: B.Williams, Harvey, L.Williams (2), M.Brown, Wolfe

Cons: L.Williams (2)

Pens:

Drop Goals:

Team: 15. Wand, 14. B.Williams, 13. C.Burge, 12. Havill, 11. Archer (Rep. Adams, 40), 10. L.Williams, 9. Lennox, 1. H.Brown, 2. Long (Rep. Pocock, 70), 3. Kingston, 4. Harvey (Rep. Coles, 50), 5. Gingell, 6. M.Brown, 7. Wolfe, 8. Lees.

		Forwards dominate to setup a comfortable victory in Bath 15/09/07 - Tribute Somerset One: Combe Down 10 v 34 North Petherton Report by Lloyd Williams Winning the toss Pethy played up the slope and were soon into their stride, forwards dominated well and moved up the pitch with some powerful runs. After a passage of play in midfield where both teams tested each others defence, Pethy took control and moved close, through a few breaks down the blind by both backs and forwards. After a powerful forward drive they nearly drove over the line, but the home defence held, however within minutes a penalty kicked to the corner gave another chance, this time they were held up over the line, scrum was called, Pethy stacked the backs to the open side leaving a large blind in which James Lees picked up at 8, attacked the blind drawing flanker and wing, cleverly unloaded to Ben Williams at pace, who beat the fullback and scored. Conversion was missed. The next followed fairly shortly with a line out drive that powered over with Ben Harvey claiming the try, conversion missed from out wide. The rest of the half Pethy made good breaks but were unable to get the final pass away. The home team did get into score areas but the Pethy defence were solid. However, with not long to half time a couple of poor decisions, combined with a concession of too many penalties, the home team drove a lineout over, which was unconverted. Second half started as the first and it wasn’t long before Pethy had a kickable penalty which was drilled to the corner, trusting that the forwards could produce a try. They drove close, but were stopped just short, Lennox sent the ball out, Chris Burge picked a straight line charging at the defence, the ball came lose from a mini maul and Lloyd Williams was the quickest to react, picked up the ball and weaved his way over before the defence was set, it was unconverted. A solid restart gave L Williams an opportunity to kick down field but the ball went the wrong side of the corner flag and that meant a home team scrum. Outside the Pethy 22m, the home team camped out for some time, in which they had a couple of failed penalty kicks at goal, they also attacked continuously around the fringes, which for the second week running was offensive and often drove them backwards. The next try and easily the best was a whole team effort, just outside of their 22m, a combination of a good tackle in the backs and the tackler getting to his feet quickly produced turnover ball, and livewire Lennox was quickly on the attack. In went through several backs hands before Lees carried it across the half way, keeping it alive the attack carried on down the right side of the pitch with great interplay between backs and forwards, Lennox got his hands on it again, and sent it to the other side of the pitch with a long ball to the speed man Jamie Adams who took the play down to the opposition 22m before sending yet another long pass to Matt Brown who was running down the tough line, and easily ran it over for a great try. It was successfully converted. Again a poor restart relieved pressure on the home team, and yet more unnecessary penalties, pushed Pethy back within their own 22m, the home team gained a lineout close to the line and got the push on quickly, the Pethy pack stopped then before the line, but after several drives around the fringes the home team open side dived over in the corner, it was unconverted. (22-10) Within minutes from the restart Pethy had a line out close to the home team line, after a long penalty kick to the corner, the forwards made easy work of the drive and this time Gavin Wolfe came up with the try, it was unconverted (27-10). Yet another poor restart put the pressure straight back on Pethy, but with good defence and disrupting the lineout’s well they soon got the ball back, with a long kicked that was chased well, meant the home side were pushed into touch near their 22m, the lineout was cleanly taken and a couple of drives by the forwards produced quick ball, Chris Burge again was sent up the middle drawing several backs, the ball came back quickly again at the ruck, Lennox was on hand to feed L Williams who changed sides at the last minute, attacking the blind, which was defended by forwards, Williams was supported by Harley Brown and James Lees but rounded the defenders to score under the posts, he converted. There was little time remaining and the game ended 34 – 10. Pethy were pleased with the performance in general. The defence was good, even when the home side attacked from all areas in search of a score that would get them back into the game. The forwards showed an expansive attacking game if they were given any sort of space, Ben Harvey showed great strength and pace in the first half down the short side and Lees and M Brown were supported well and found themselves attacking in the back line. The backs were organised in defence and put some good attacking moves together. Chris Burge in his last game before his tour of duty, worked tirelessly all day, always taking several players to drag him down, he also set the ball back producing quick ball to continue the attack. Lennox was everywhere and showed great organisation of the forwards in attack and defence. Pethy will still be concerned with the restarts and the number of penalties that went against them in the ruck situation, they face a tough test this week, at home to an inform Nailsea and Backwell, who won 140-0 this weekend. There was 3 first team players debuting this week, Jamie Adams who showed abundance of pace and strength to hold his own at this level, Chris Wand who had a solid game out of position at fullback and Neil Lennox (ex-Combe Down) who marshalled his forwards well, gave the back quick ball at every opportunity and demonstrated a useful kicking game. H/T: 5-10 Tries: B.Williams, Harvey, L.Williams (2), M.Brown, Wolfe Cons: L.Williams (2) Pens: Drop Goals: Team: 15. Wand, 14. B.Williams, 13. C.Burge, 12. Havill, 11. Archer (Rep. Adams, 40), 10. L.Williams, 9. Lennox, 1. H.Brown, 2. Long (Rep. Pocock, 70), 3. Kingston, 4. Harvey (Rep. Coles, 50), 5. Gingell, 6. M.Brown, 7. Wolfe, 8. Lees.

		©2007 North Petherton RFC

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