Pethy struggle to make an impact after long trip into Cornwall

12/09/09 - Tribute Western Counties West: Penryn 28 v 12 North Petherton

Report by Lloyd Williams

Following their excellent win to start the season, North Petherton found life much harder on their trip to Penryn. North Petherton held out until the 16th minute when home centre, Peter Webster, scythed through the visitors defence to score at the posts. Fly half, Peter Gregory, converted for a 7-0 lead.

James Carter broke clear to give the visitors hope of a score but was called back by the referee for a knock-on.

North Petherton then exerted some pressure on the home line but could not get a try. They had to resort to a penalty attempt by skipper, Lloyd Williams that was narrowly wide.

The referee spoke to both captains for the fourth time just before the break and reversed a penalty awarded to North Petherton.

On the stroke of half time, influential home full-back, Chris Mann, finished off a very good Penryn move by scoring at the posts to give Gregory an easy conversion and a 14-0 lead for the home side.

The home pressure continued as flanker, Justin Doney, picked up a loose ball on his own 10m line. He broke through several half-hearted tackles and on the visitors 22 handed on to prop Daniel Booth who cantered over unopposed for the third try converted by Gregory.

Petherton then lost Simon Gingell to the bin and Penryn kicked the penalty into touch in the visitors 22. A well-executed line-out move saw a fourth try for Penryn as Booth scored his second try, again converted by Gregory.

It looked as though the floodgates would open, but North Petherton rallied and performed heroically for the final quarter.

Simon Gingell made a powerful run deep into Penryn territory to put North Petherton on the attack. They actually got over the home line but could not ground the ball and had to be content with a penalty.

They ran the ball and a long pass from Lloyd Williams to Andy Webber confused the home defence enough to allow winger, Craig Gooodwin, to score in the corner. The conversion narrowly failed.

A few minutes later, a superb North Petherton move between Webber and Goodwin ended with Ben Tracy chasing his own kick ahead, re-gathering and apparently scoring in the corner. The referee was a full 35m away but after consulting the home touch judge, who was also some distance behind play, adjudged that Tracy had not scored. However, from the resulting scrum, North Petherton disrupted the home scrum and number 8, Matt Brown, scored from close range. This time, Lloyd Williams was successful with the conversion.

HT: 0-14

Tries: Goodwin, M.Brown

Cons: L.Williams

Pens:

Drop Goals:

Team: 15. Webber, 14. B.Williams, 13. C.Burge, 12. Carter, 11. Goodwin, 10. L.Williams, 9. Tracey, 1. Prescott, 2. Angel, 3. H.Brown, 4. Gingell, 5. Lees, 6. Tarr, 7. Taylor, 8. M.Brown. Reps: Sellick, McNeillie, Foad.