Report by Matt Glanville
North Petherton Seconds came through their first big test of the season against Crewkerne, who arrived at Beggars Brook top of the table, having scored over a hundred points and conceding just eight in their first three matches. It was an intense and hard fought game marred by a terrible injury to Crewkerne’s prop, who broke his arm 5 minutes into the second half when trapped underneath players from both sides contesting a ruck. The injury caused a 30 minute delay whilst an ambulance was called and North Petherton wish him a full and speedy recovery.
Kicking-off and playing down the slope, Pethy made an excellent start to the match, pinning the visitors back into their 22 and forcing mistakes. Both packs were fiercely contesting the breakdown, although it was Petherton who created the first opportunities out wide, with Fly-Half Mark Sutherland-Earl orchestrating a couple of swift attacks towards the right corner. Making his debut for the club, flanker Orin Bovill was immediately into the game, carrying the ball well in support of the backs. With 4 minutes gone he scored his first try to the left of the posts, finishing well as Pethy attacked from right to left, shipping the ball quickly along the line to Bovill, who outpaced the covering defence to touch it down. Sutherland-Earl missed the conversion.
North Petherton continued to keep Crewkerne under the cosh and they struggled to break out of their half. The visiting forwards were still providing stiff competition in the set pieces and around the fringes, but Pethy continued to create good opportunities when they were able to get the ball wide. On 23 minutes the home side made their pressure count when centre Dan Wilkins blasted through a gap in the Crewkerne defence to finish off a set move from a 5 metre scrum. Simon Freeman converted to give Petherton a 12-0 lead.
Attacking swiftly from the re-start with forwards and backs offloading well, Pethy were again back inside the Crewkerne 22. Captain Simon Gingell claimed the ball from a Crewkerne lineout 10 metres out, setting up a ruck from which Mike Coles picked up the ball only to be held up on the try-line. Pethy were not to be denied for much longer though as they again stretched the visiting defence across the pitch. Good rucking again by the Petherton backs and forwards saw the ball shipped along the Crewkerne 22 where Bovill picked up a loose pass off his bootlaces to again outpace the covering defence to score under the sticks. Freeman converted to give Pethy a 19-0 half-time lead.
The second half had barely got started before the unfortunate injury delay, which led to the match resuming on the second pitch after North Petherton Colts had finished their match. Crewkerne responded well to the long break, enjoying their first spell of sustained pressure inside the Petherton 22. However, Pethy were resolute in defence, and a good turnover allowed Sutherland-Earl to hack the ball up field where Oscar Treganna was able to collect the bouncing ball before scrambling defence stopped a try in the left corner.
A penalty allowed Crewkerne to clear into the Pethy half, but they were soon defending again when a great sidestep and offload by prop Pete Kingston sent winger Lloyd Steward away down the left where he was just forced into touch as he put the ball down over the try-line. However, North Petherton soon put the result beyond doubt with a bonus point clinching try from Lock Mike Coles, who put the ball down over the line following an excellent catch and drive by the Pethy pack from a lineout 10 meters from the Crewkerne try-line. Lloyd Steward added the extras with a good conversion from out wide to make the score 26-0.
The visitors were not giving up though and they enjoyed the better of the last 15 minutes, using their pack to get within striking distance of the line, only to be thwarted by some more fully committed Petherton defence.
This was a good all round performance by the Seconds who played with intensity from the off against a powerful Crewkerne side. They were defensively solid and showed much improved discipline from their first 2 league matches, keeping the penalty count much lower that it has been in previous weeks. Debutant Orin Bovill was outstanding for the 38 minutes he was on the pitch, before a groin injury forced him off, and fellow forwards Pete Kingston and Mike Coles were colossal throughout. In the backs Mark Sutherland-Earl was always a creative threat from fly-half and full-back as Pethy made several changes in the second half, and centre Russ Williams was again prominent in defence as Petherton conceded no points for the second week running.
Tries: Bovill (4, 36), Wilkins (23), Coles (57)
Cons: Freeman (24, 37), Steward (58)
Pens:
Team:
1. Matt Glanville (Rep. Rob Kearle, 45)
2. Andy Long
3. Pete Kingston
4. Ben Stewart (Rep. Lees, 55)
5. Mike Coles
6. Simon Gingell (C)
7. Orin Bovill (Rep. Craig Ardren, 38)
8. Phil Hambley
9. Oscar Treganna
10. Mark Sutherland-Earl
11. Lloyd Steward (Rep. Brian Stenson, 70)
12. Dan Wilkins (Rep. Craig Salter, 45)
13. Russ Williams
14. Ben Williams (Rep. Matt Bussell, 68)
15. Simon Freeman (Rep. Kev Rybaruk, 40)
