In a battle between the two teams who occupied top spots in their respective divisions Petherton ran out convincing victors and demonstrated their pre season victory over Hornets was a solid indicator of the first two months of the season writes Simon Freeman
Due to the events on the M5 the previous evening the game was in doubt through the chaos and volume of traffic on the local roads. Hornets managed to arrive on time for their warm up however, their coaches and shirts were not.
The game started with Hornets wearing Pethertons second kit, which slightly confused the home supporters and certainly confused the away visitors. Petherton fielded 5 players who were playing in the colt's team two years ago and justified Tito Elisara's decision to give the young players the exposure.
The early exchanges showed how even the two teams were with Russ Williams leading the way in a physicality test by leaving his opposite number prone on the floor. The first score of the game came from the boot of Harry Roberts who had an excellent afternoon in the kicking department and dependable under any high ball Hornets tested him with. The kick was successful (3-0).
Hornets responded immediately after Petherton failed to clear their lines and the visiting number ten expertly dropped a goal in the 6th minute (3-3).
In the next ten minutes the game lacked fluidity and became edgy with both teams determined to win the breakdown but ultimately cancelling each other out. The first purposeful break came from Pethy in their own 22 when Jervis Manapenu worked an overlap to release James Carter up the touch line who in turn put a grubber through for Jamie Adams to gather, but was instantly killed by Hornets by lying over the ball. The referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty and issued a team warning to the Hornets skipper. The kick from 28 yards out was slotted over by Roberts (6-3). The warning however, failed to have the desired affect as within two minutes a Hornets player was in the bin and Roberts had extended the lead (9-3).
Five minutes before halftime Petherton raised the tempo and with the visitors a man short the home side gave themselves some breathing space. A strong run by Ashley Palmer, found Sam Butler in support who linked with Aaron Gibbs and Sam Williams and with a svelte like movement to beat the last man Williams dived over the line and with Roberts adding the extras from out wide it gave the half time score a healthy shine (16-3).
The second half began with Hornets in the ascendancy with their main weapon being the driving maul. Petherton began to give away penalties and get on the wrong side of the referee as he issued a team warning for persistent offending. In the forty-eighth minute Hornets scrambled their way over for a deserved try and disappointingly for them a reasonably simple conversion was missed (16-8). This was the last time Hornets troubled the scorers however, the visitors enjoyed their best passage of the game as they camped themselves on the Pethy five yard line. The Petherton defence held firm as the front eight repelled every attempt to let the Hornets cross the line again.
Petherton began to grind down their opponents and run through training ground moves with more success than they had earlier in the match. Another piece of indiscipline from Hornets allowed Roberts to extend the lead (19-8). The final ten minutes was of total dominance from Pethy as they stretched the overworked Hornets defence left and right. In the 75th minute Aaron Gibbs showed his power and dexterity to finish off a well worked try which started on the right and was finally finished off to the left of the posts. Petherton still managed a final score after another slick pass from Lloyd Williams, whose service all afternoon was faultless, found the tireless Petherton back row in support and a well weighted pass to replacement Ben Tracey who cleverly jinked his way to corner from ten yards out. Roberts slotted the conversion and give himself a 100% record.
Hornets were a well-drilled streetwise team and this was a solid test for Petherton. Pethy kept their patience and shape and gradually wore down a good team. Next week is a top of a table clash with Okehampton visiting Beggars Brook.
