Match Sponsored By:
John Lang - Gentleman Farmer of Moorland
Report by Simon Freeman
North Petherton produced an excellent second half to blow away the visitors. A stuttering first half was instantly dismissed as Pethy attacked from the first whistle of the second half with Miles McNeille leading from the front and Orin Bovill demonstrating his skills that he has been displaying for the seconds.
On a bitterly cold day the first forty minutes did little to raise the spirits of the crowd as Pethy were unable to get their multi phase game moving. The visitors were a solid outfit and had plenty of pace in their backs. Truro tested the Pethy line and counter attacked with ambition and only determined defence stopped the visitors from scoring. Truro had a player sin binned, which put them on the back foot, but they wisely used the time with either an ambitious shot at goal and narrowing the width of their attacks.
The first score came on 29 minutes as Pethy moved the ball right to left from a lineout and with Bovill running an intelligent line the outstanding Jervis Manupenu timed it perfectly for the first try (5-0). Truro who are sixth in the league and have won only one game less than the team who are in second place continued to attack once they had their full compliment of players on the pitch. Pethertons defensive organisation and work rate was composed with all the front eight putting in a shift.
The second score on the stroke of half time ultimately secured the victory as Pethy’s defence was resolute, a driving maul which has been under used this season from ten yards out and the power and discipline drove the forwards towards the line with the finishing touch belonging to James Cox (10-0)
The half time team talk delivered by Manupenu, Carter and John Evans reminded the players of composure and trusting the system. The injured back rower Matt Brown gave a typically motivational challenge to the players.
The contrast between the two halves was instant as within 30 seconds the ball was in the hands of the unassuming Mike Coles in Pethertons half and with three Truro players left prone on their backs Petherton for the first time attacked with urgency and after a couple of phases left winger Gavin Hancock was over in the corner (15-0). The home side with the crowd behind them continued to apply pressure and in the 45th minute a great counter attack by Roberts who sliced his way through would be tacklers kept his presence of mind to give a scoring pass for Hancock to race over from 40 yards, Roberts converted (22-0). Petherton held the upper hand and with Lloyd Williams distributing smoothly Manupenu showed his full array of skills with some pin point cross field kicks to keep Pethy moving forward. The next ten minutes remained just inside the Truro half with Pethy driving up the middle through Simon Ranson and Aaron Gibbs keeping the visitors to scraps or counter attacks. In the 55th minute Petherton extended the lead after working their way up field and an inside pass from Russ Williams found Bovill who powered his way through two defenders and reach out over the line, Roberts converted (29-0). The final score in the 69th minute was a great team try, as James Carter kept the ball alive after a break, which was eventually and deservedly finished off by Miles McNeille.
The result was a reward for sticking to the game plan as in the early part of the game there seemed to be very little end product but fitness and control of the ball were the deciding factors. The coaches should be pleased with the discipline in the second half and the decisions of the half backs in keeping Pethy moving forward. A positive end to 2011 and with a second half performance that shows plenty of potential for the remainder of the season.
Man of the Match:- Orin Bovill
