Williams lands last minute conversion to snatch victory

08/11/08 - Tribute Somerset Premier: North Petherton 16 v 15 Tor

Report by Neil Lennox

It was carnival day at Petherton but first there was a small matter of the first fifteen battling it out with league leaders Tor to be dealt with. There were a few setbacks for the side before they took to the field with James Lees withdrawing due to illness and Matt Angel pulling up in the warm up. Mike Coles and Kyle Prescott stepped in to steady the pack. In other changes Lennox slotted in at scrum half and Ben Tarr recovered from injury to claim the number six jersey.

The Oaks had the wind on their backs in the first half and from the kick off tried to set out their stall in the Tor half. There were encouraging passages of play from Petherton with the forwards making good ground in the close however when the ball went wide they were unable to make use of the overlaps created and came up short. On one occasion Pethy had spread the ball one side to the other several times and looked to be in the corner, but the final pass was just behind flying Rob Havill, playing out of position on the wing.

In fact it would be Tor who would be the first to score after working their way up the pitch with the boot of their fly half. After being penalised for breaking early from the scrum Pethy found themselves underneath their own posts 7 points down when the Tor number 8, who was also swapping to centre and wing drove over from close range.

Petherton gained good territory from the restart and were not letting Tor out of their own half without a fight. The forwards were going into the rucks like wild carp and the pressure proved too much for the Tor side when their man was sin binned for killing the ball. Tom Williams slotted over the close range penalty with ease to make the score 3 – 7.

Not long after Tom Williams reduced the deficit to 6 – 7 with the boot. The penalty was well deserved and originated from a quickly taken free kick where Matty Brown charged at the Tor defence. The Tor defender was sent backwards and no doubt he will have felt that one in the morning.

Further indiscipline from the Tor side gave Petherton a penalty opportunity between the half way and ten metre line just before half time. Tom Williams really was kicking like a machine putting Pethy into the lead. Just before half time Mike Taylor who had been everywhere and tackling everything, was binned for diving on the ball.

It was 9 – 7 at the break and Petherton were left feeling they could have made more of an impression on the score board while they had the wind advantage.

For the next half an hour Pethy were stuck inside their own 22 and despite a few impressive surges back up the field they found themselves defending on their own try line. Huge pressure was put on the defensive line and Tor were determined to not leave without getting any points. Tor had a good opportunity to score in the corner but a crunching tackle from the combination of Sam Williams and Mike Coles put him into touch and could have put him in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. After numerous attempts to score from the scrum Tor had to settle with taking 3 points to take the lead 9 – 10.

Finally Tor’s assault on the Pethy line produced the goods where their pack were pushing like a bunch of cattle trucks in a shunting yard provided good ball to score from close. The conversion was high enough, but not quite straight enough and the Tor 10 must have been disappointed to not put his side out of touching distance. Petherton could take heart from the impressive defensive display although there was enough signs to suggest work is needed in the scrum.

The score was 9 – 15 to Tor with 5 minutes to go and Pethy lifted their heads and were not going to lose without a fight. From a good drop off Sam Williams recovered the ball to give Pethy valuable possession in the Tor half and the forwards were like a bunch of Sherman tanks going up the field. Their fitness was starting to show and Pethy were spreading the ball side to side trying to expose Tor’s defensive line. After the crowd being subjected to an uneventful half an hour they finally had something to cheer about.

Many phases passed with Pethy wearing down the Tor side then Neil Lennox passed to Matt Foad who shipped it out to Simon Gingell and Mike Taylor leaving a two on two with the touchline in close proximity. Taylor found himself with the ball on the wing; he charged for the line and with his strength managed to score in the corner. That left Pethy 1 point down with a touchline conversion against the wind that could win them the game. Tom Williams shocked the visiting support by launching a huge conversion into the wind, giving it everything to make sure it had the legs. Accuracy wasn’t an issue and the ball sailed over to send the crowd wild. Rumour has it Tom is in line to gain freedom of the village after that mammoth effort.

With only seconds remaining the drop off landed in Matty Brown’s hands for him to kick into row Z and the referee to blow the final whistle. The cheers began and I am sure the celebrations will have gone on into the wee small hours.

Tries: Taylor

Cons: T.Williams

Pens: T.Williams (3)

Drop Goals:

Team: 15. T.Williams, 14. B.Williams, 13. C.Burge, 12. Foad, 11. Havill (Rep. R.Williams, 75), 10. L.Williams, 9. Lennox, 1. Prescott, 2. S.Williams, 3. H.Brown, 4. Gingell, 5. Coles, 6. Tarr, 7. Taylor, 8. M.Brown. Reps Unused: Angel, Lees