North Petherton Annual Club Dinner 2008
The annual rugby club dinner was held on Friday 16th of May as North Petherton celebrated their most successful season in six years. It was in 2002 that the club last achieved promotion to the Somerset Premier division, also as runners-up, a feat they matched this season finishing behind champions Burnham-On-Sea. At christmas it had looked as if yet again some poor results against opposition they should have beaten would cost Pethy their chances of going up, but they went unbeaten in the league, winning nine and drawing one of their last ten matches to finish in second place and gain promotion.
This has also been a great season for the club's Second XV who finished fourth in Somerset Three South, an improvement from tenth place the season before. They led the league early on in the season and finished four points off the second promotion place.
The club has continued to develop its facilities over the last year at their Beggar's Brook ground and enjoyed their largest crowd for a number of years for the player's reunion match at home to Burnham in April. This effort has seen bookings for the main hall increase significantly this year as the club continues to make improvements to its clubhouse. Many people have been involved in helping to make this happen, but on the night Ben Williams and John Evans were acknowledged for their efforts. Ben was awarded the Committee Person of the Year trophy and John collected the Club Member of the Year trophy.
The Tom Hollinghorst Cup is given every year to a person who deserves recognition for whatever reason, and this time it was shared amongst the club's three
2008 Trophy Winners
Category Winner 1st Team Player of the Year Lloyd Williams 2nd Team Player of the Year Lloyd Steward Most Improved Player Nick Pocock Committee Person of the Year Ben Williams Person(s) Who Deserves Recognition John Evans, Kim O'Connor, Sean Kennelly Club Member of the Year John Evans Players Player of the Year Mike Coles 1st Team Captain's Tankard Kev Rybaruk 2nd Team Captain's Tankard Ade Harris Colts Captain's Tankard Sam Tozer Club Badges - 50 First Team Appearances Russ Williams, Ben Harvey Bullshit Horns Robin Williams Life Membership Clive Williams A full list of trophy winners from 1994 onwards can be seen here
coaches - John Evans, Kim O'Connor and Sean Kennelly. This was in recognition of their efforts in helping the First Team to gain promotion.
Club Captain Lloyd Williams was awarded the first team player of the year trophy after a great season at fly-half. Williams rounded off Pethy's league campaign in style by scoring the promotion clinching try at Wiveliscombe, in the process finishing as the First team's top try-scorer with 11. The Second team player of the year award went to prolific winger Lloyd Steward. Steward finished the season as the top try and points scorer for the seconds with 17 tries and a total of 149 points from 20 games.
The most improved player award was given to Nick Pocock after his first full season with the club. Having converted to hooker over last summer he continued to impress for both the first and second team's throughout the year, where his versatility saw him play in a variety of different positions across the pack for both teams.
Second Row colossus Mike Coles won a tight vote for the player's player of the year award, just edging out No.8 James Lees and flanker Matt Brown. Coles' return from injury after christmas helped to shore up Pethy's set-piece play, and his contribution in defence was vital as Pethy ground out important victories without conceding tries.
Club captain and P.E teacher Lloyd Williams gave a long speech during which all players were given their own school report. His choice for teacher's pet and receiver of the first team captain's tankard was scrum-half Kev Rybaruk, who was acknowledged for a great season after regaining his first-team place early in the year. Second Team captain Larry Steward awarded his captain's tankard to back rower Ade Harris, whom he acknowledged for an excellent season on the pitch as well as for his commitment to the club.
Two players gained their club badges over the season for making their 50th appearance for the First team. These were given to centre Russ Williams and Second Row Ben Harvey. The final award of the evening was given to the person who had done the most to uphold the noble art of bullshitting over the last year. This was probably the most closely contested trophy with several outstanding candidates, including last year's winner Gary Coles and all members of the Williams family. However, there could only be one winner, and for his strong display of bullshitting whilst on Pethy's end of season tour to Guernsey, Robin Williams was awarded the prestigious Bullshit Horns.