Report by Simon Freeman
Pethy started with a couple of forced changes due to injuries and holidays and also some changes that were due to a continued competitive turnout at training. This is forcing the coaching staff to think very hard about selection each week. At Thursday's training there were nearly full squads for 1st, 2nds and 3rds; 45 senior players.
Pethy started up the slope and started as they finished the previous week. The forwards were setting a solid platform for the backs to attack going forwards with quick clean ball. It was a combination of aggressive and disruptive defence handling errors that was keeping Pethy from scoring. A couple of Roberts penalties were all Pethy could get in the first 20mins. The visitors ventured into the Pethy half very rarely and when they did Pethy played smart and worked their way back into the visitors half before they played expansively. Pethy's first try came from a well worked lineout drive, which Sam Williams crashed over for the score. Roberts converted.
Pethy secured another score before halftime, when Lloyd Williams found a gap around the fringes and sprinted off to score in the corner. Roberts was unable to convert from the touchline.
In the second half the penalty count began to mount and the game began to become a stop start affair.
Pethy scored another two well worked trys, first powerhouse Gibbs picked up from a scrum about 15m out, did well to stay on his feet until the forward support arrived, after a solid driving maul, Sam Williams broke away and did well to score at full stretch. It was unconverted. The second try came from a well worked try, after Brown and Gibbs powered they way up the middle, quick ball and quick hands found Cox hovering on the wing to run it in, Roberts converted well.
Pethy did cross the try straight after when Carter and Lloyd Williams took a quick lineout from an Ivybridge restart that went straight out. Carter took off down field and fed Williams to run it in under the posts. But the ref said someone chose the scrum option and it was frustratingly disallowed.
The visitors applied a lot of pressure in the last 15mins, but Pethy held out with some solid goal line defence. Unfortunately skipper Carter was binned with 10mins to go, but the teams were evened up shortly after when the replacement prop that had only been on for 7mins was binned for stamping in front of the ref.
The coaching staff where pleased with the way Pethy played and how they kept the scoreboard ticking over against a tough opposition who tackled and disrupted well. Pethy weren't allowed to play the way they wanted to, but have discovered they can adapt their style and play what is in front of them, which is one of the areas the coaching staff have been working very hard to install in the club.
Next weekend sees Pethy make the trip down to Kingsbridge where in recent years they haven't started playing until the second half.
Team:
1. Simon Ranson
2. Sam Williams
3. Kyle Prescott
4. James Cox
5. Sam Butler (Tyrone Harris 70 mins)
6. Matt Brown
7. miles McNeillie (Matt Ranson 65 mins)
8. Arron Gibbs
9. Lloyd Williams
10. Jervis Manupenu
11. Jamie Adams
12. Russell Williams
13. James Carter
14. Craig Goodwin
15. Harry Roberts
Replacements
16. Matt Angel (Not Used)
17. Matt Ranson
18. Tyrone Harris
Tries: Sam Williams (2), Lloyd Williams, James Cox
Cons: Harry Roberts (2)
Pens: Harry Roberts (2)
