Sat 12 Oct 2024, 15:00
In a strong cross wind Chippenham started well and after a concerted period of play crossed wide out on the left. The conversion was not successful.
Straight from the restart a crunching hit by hooker Adam Fisher ended with a scrum in a promising position but a dropped pass put paid to any profit.
Weston then conceded their second penalty when in possession but were returned the favour when from the line out that followed Chippenham infringed.
However the hosts regrouped and when their impressive fly half sold a couple of dummies it ended with Weston shooting up in defence to create a massive hole for their outside centre to ghost through to increase their lead with a full seven points.
Weston hit back and were awarded a penalty which was kicked to the corner.
Winger Hayden Main crossed but was adjudged to have made a double movement in the act of scoring.
Weston weren't to be denied and from an identical line out following another penalty free scoring prop Rhys Matthews crossed for his sixth try of the season.
A great tackle by lock Callum Kingscott prevented another try for the hosts but Weston when trying to run it out of defence conceded yet another penalty to lose momentum.
Weston then tried another catch and drive but this proved less successful.
The hosts were then given a yellow card for a tip tackle and Weston once again tried the tried and tested line out option.
Chippenham once again infringed and number eight and captain Jay Davis took a quick tap to surprise the home side to give fly half George Nuttycombe a straight forward conversion to equal the scoring with less than five minutes to half time. Weston had their tails up and a high tackle gave the visitors another chance deep in Chippenham territory but when a long pass to wing Hayden Main seemed the best option a short pass ended with a squandered opportunity. This didn't matter as Weston took one against the head and Davis took advantage to dive over for his second and with the conversion successful put Weston ahead for the first time in the game.
This proved to be the last action of the first half.
Chippenham began the second half on the front foot and soon reduced the deficit when they were successful from their own catch and drive but missed the conversion to remain two points in arrears. Debutant Thomas Lewis was yellow carded for a high tackle and the hosts piled the pressure on but a Main interception put centre Cameron Maslen away but he was swallowed up near the line.
The hosts counter attacked and when their number eight made a decisive breakthrough the ball was spun wide to give the home side the lead once as gain.
This time the conversion was achieved and Chippenham were five points to the good.
Weston then did well to hold the hosts up on their own line and Lewis returned to the fray.
The hosts then increased their lead when a missed clearance kick allowed Chippenham to take advantage with a well executed cut out pass. The extras were missed but the home side now had their tails up and added quickly to their tally when a couple of missed tackles after a quick tap increased their lead.
The conversion was once again successful and Chippenham were suddenly seventeen points in front.
Weston huffed and puffed but a forward pass in the act of scoring prevented Weston from cutting into the lead.
Weston were then denied a try before prop Fatai Koloi barrelled his way over to give Nuttycombe an easy conversion to leave the visitors ten points adrift. But this didn't have the desired effect and the Wiltshire side hit back with a simple direct converted try to restore their seventeen point advantage. It was all one way now and when they knocked on over the line the referee even allowed that score to end the game with the hosts gaining a comfortable victory.
