South West 1

Weston-uper-Mare 50  Reading Abbey 28

Weston-uper-Mare centre Joe Ewens played a big part in this comfortable victory over a Reading Abbey team which remains in the basement area of the South West 1 table.

Ewens' first significant action came in the 16th minute when his accurate kick to the left corner gave Paul Sprague a try, and he was on the scoresheet himself four minutes later when he was on the end of some superb running by Takura Madamombe.

The former England A player's second try arrived 10 minutes into the second half and he then set up a try for Madamombe who celebrated his 100th first team appearance.

Weston were ahead by 24-0 just before the break, Djordje Milenkovic and Ashley Russell having touched down their other tries, James Reid converting twice.

But in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time, Abbey replied with a pushover try secured by Ben Craddick and converted by Tom Waterhouse.

Weston started positively after the interval, Goran Vucicevic's long kick to the right corner eventually producing Russell's catch and drive and a try for skipper David Burge.

Reid added the goal points, but Abbey further reduced the arrears with a short-range try by Steve Willis which Waterhouse majorised, however, Reid's conversions of tries by Ewens and Madamombe took the score to 45-14.

George Sparks' try brought up the half-century after some skilful work by Reid and replacement Armstrong, but the hosts then proceeded to go off the boil, allowing the visitors to score two more tries by Sam Mallet from a line-out drive and Willis' second from another five-metre scrum pushover, Waterhouse converting both.

The bad news for Weston is that winger Paul Sprague has suffered a broken nose, the second of this type of injury sustained by the club this season.

Mark Armstrong was the other, and, ironically, his return from this set-back signalled Sprague's exit.

Weston-uper-Mare: G Vucicevic; C Young, T J Madamombe, J Ewens, P Sprague (M Armstrong 27); J Reid, R Drabble; D Milenkovic, D Burge (J Gallagher 61), C Derrick (H Smith 61), A Richards, A Russell, M Denbee, P Morrissey, G Sparks.

Weston-uper-Mare scorers - tries: Paul Sprague, Joe Ewens (2), Takura Madamombe, Djordje Milenkovic, Ashley Russell, David Burge, George Sparks; cons: James Reid (5)

Reading Abbey scorers - tries: Ben Craddick, Steve Willis (2), Sam Mallet; cons: Tom Waterhouse (4)