9th April 2011 - Tribute Western Counties West:

North Petherton 47 v 12 Truro

Report by Lloyd Williams

It was hot, humid and sticky Saturday afternoon and Pethy were out to put in a performance that would impress the Old Players on the club’s annual Old Players reunion gathering. Playing down the slope Pethy decided to play things relatively tight, not knowing what to expect from the visitors. After keeping the ball for a couple of phases gaps began to open and Pethy began to exploit them to the full. With Ben Tracey digging like a demented mole to try and get the ball out quickly, eventually a couple of quick passes and a peach of a pass from Sam Williams resulted in the first try. Harry Roberts was right between the uprights, and his kicking formed continued like that throughout. Pethy next gained ground after a huge Gary Owen, which had snow on it when it came down. They continued that territory first game plan well for the next 10 -15mins, resulting in a couple of well worked team trys. The forwards providing the platform and the backs attacking with pace and power.With a bit of argy-bargy going on around the break down the game slowed down to a stalemate for the last 15mins of the half.

H/T = 28 – 0

After the break Pethy had to withstand some goal line pressure, but eventually it was cleared not with the greatest kick, but safe, giving forwards time to regroup. The ball started to come back like a chocolate bar from a slot machine, releasing the Pethy backline time after time and the breaks began to come. With the game opening up in patches, scrum half Tracey often lack protection around the fringes and had the get the ball out quick, he did will to get up from one tackle that could've put him in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Another great team try came from interplay from both backs and forwards, they seemed like a bunch of Sherman tanks moving up the field and eventually Angel crossed the line.

With a bit of jiggery pokery in the scrum in the last quarter Pethy brought on the mighty Mike Coles to sort things out and his opposite man soon left the field.

Near the end with the crowd shouting “He’s going in Alone” Gibbs handing them off like flies scored again, a wonderful try, from a simple pick up from the base of the scrum. Roberts had the last kick of the match, taking a drop kick for the conversion, as time was up, his attempt was certainly high enough but not quite straight enough, with ended his perfect kicking at goal afternoon.

Pethy scored 7 tries in total, hat trick for Gibbs, 2 for Yellow Card Carter, 1 to skipper Angel and 1 to Roberts, which was combined with his 6 conversions.

Gibbs had another solid game, this man only has one gear, Forward !! Roberts was goal kicking like a machine. All sorts of shenanigans in the line out caused by Pethy meant the visitors rarely secured clear ball. The forwards were outstanding, performing like cattle trucks in a shunting yard, providing quick clear ball for the backs to throw the ball around. By doing that, they're always difficult to stop.

With such a positive win, past and present players were going to be partying into the wee small hours.

1. Matt Angel (Capt) (Mike Coles – 75mins)
2. Sam Williams
3. Simon Ranson
4. Simon Gingell – Yellow Card 50 – 60mins (George Pettingell – 60mins)
5. James Cox
6. Matt Ranson
7. Matt Brown
8. Aaron Gibbs
9. Ben Tracey
10. Lloyd Williams
11. Jamie Adams
12. Dave Hallaran (Micheal Stevens – 70mins)
13. James Carter – Yellow Card 72 – 80mins
14. Russ Potter
15. Harry Roberts