Report by Matt Glanville
North Petherton Seconds remained top of the table with a comprehensive win over Minehead. An excellent first 40 minutes by the home side ensured the match was won by half-time as Pethy produced some great running rugby against a tough visiting team, who improved as the match wore on.
Kicking off and playing down the slope Pethy were soon into their stride, dominating the opening exchanges and forcing Minehead back inside their own 22. However, the visiting pack were one of the strongest Pethy has faced this season and they made the home side work hard to maintain possession. When they did get the ball away quickly the Petherton backs looked dangerous with centres Dave Hallaran and Russ Potter pivotal in most attacks.
Pethy opened the scoring inside the first 10 minutes when fly-half Dan Pearce collected a wayward clearance on the left wing and deftly chipped over the Minehead defence to collect the bouncing ball and score in the corner. The conversion was missed but Pethy soon had a second try when flanker Orin Bovill collected a short pass from full-back Simon Freeman to smash his way through the Minehead defence to score to the left of the posts. The conversion was missed but Pethy led 10-0.
The set-piece was proving to be a tight contest but it was Pethy who managed to gain some good momentum with a couple of driving mauls from lineouts inside the Minehead 22. After 20 minutes a swift backs move from a good lineout 10 metres out on the right was finished off powerfully by Dave Hallaran, who cut inside and broke through a couple of tackles to score. The try bonus point was then secured on 25 minutes when a solid scrum 10 metres out saw No. 8 Simon Gingell pick and go before the ball went to scrum-half Oscar Treganna, who jinked his way over from close range. Pearce landed the conversion to establish a 22-0 lead.
The final score of the half will likely be one of Pethy’s tries of the season as backs and forwards linked well, handling out of the tackle superbly as Pethy moved the ball from left to right inside the Minehead half. The ball was then shipped back towards the left wing where flanker Bovill again appeared on the shoulder of Freeman to take the pass and round Minehead’s winger to score.
With a 27-0 lead at half-time Pethy were determined to maintain their high standard of play but they found Minehead much tougher to break down in the second half. It took until the 55th minute before they scored again when another solid driving maul from a lineout took Pethy to within 5 metres of the Minehead try-line. Lock Ben Stewart plucked the ball up from the base of an ensuing ruck to dive over the line underneath a couple of last ditch tackles to score. Pearce landed the conversion from the left of the posts to extend the lead to 34-0.
The rest of the match became a dog fight between both sets of forwards with the penalty count climbing as both teams infringed at the breakdown. Stewart was yellow carded soon after scoring as the referee tired of the handling in the rucks but Pethy managed to remain resolute in defence as the visitors pressed for a consolation try.
With 10 minutes remaining a penalty in front of the Minehead posts was bizarrely chosen to be kicked by Pethy as the referee managed to mis-hear the request for a scrum. Pearce duly converted the opportunity before Minehead again attacked well into the Petherton half. However, a final try came in the last minute when a well executed backs move from a lineout on Pethy’s 10 metre line saw the ball swiftly passed between the backs to replacement centre Lloyd Steward, who outpaced his man and ran 50 metres to touch down in the left corner despite a great last ditch tap tackle that almost stopped him getting over the line.
This was another great performance from the Second Team who have a week off before taking on local rivals Bridgwater in two weeks time. There is now good competition for places in the side with a number of players pushing for first team call-ups. Flanker Orin Bovill continues to be a try scoring machine for the side, whilst prop Adrian Tew was again prominent in the loose. In the backs Hallaran and Potter were a potent combination in the centre and scrum-half Treganna sniped well around the fringes and harassed the opposition in defence.
Tries: Dan Pearce, Orin Bovill (2), Dave Hallaran, Oscar Treganna, Ben Stewart, Lloyd Steward
Cons: Pearce (2)
Pens: Pearce
Team:
1. Matt Glanville (Rep. Pete Kingston, 60)
2. Nathan Murdoch
3. Adrian Tew
4. Ben Stewart (Rep. Hambley, 65)
5. Ty Harris
6. Dan Winn (Rep. Gavin Wolfe, 40)
7. Orin Bovill
8. Simon Gingell (Rep. Chris Richards, 70)
9. Oscar Treganna
10. Dan Pearce
11. Ben Tracey
12. Dave Hallaran (Rep. Lloyd Steward, 40)
13. Russ Potter
14. Ben Williams
15. Simon Freeman
