Sat 25 Jan 2025, 14:30
After last week's disappointing result at Longlevens Weston were looking to rekindle the improved form they had been showing.
The hosts started strongly with several strong runs by hooker Fatai Koloi.
Stow infringed and Weston were awarded a penalty which they kicked to the corner.
From the resulting line out lock George Talbot crashed over.
Stow hit back straight away from the restart and were somewhat unlucky to be held up over the line.
Weston regrouped and ended up taking a scrum near Stows line following yet another indiscretion by the visitors.
Left wing Hayden Main benefited from the foray when he was on hand to accept an attempted interception to dab the ball down. An excellent conversion followed by centre Archie Tilsley.
A great run by number eight Jay Davis led to a yellow card for consistently infringing for Stow and from the penalty scrum that followed Main went over under the sticks but unfortunately knocked it on in the act of scoring.
Stow hit back from this reprieve and after Weston conceded a few penalties of their own scored in the left hand corner to get on the board. An excellent conversion followed from wide out.
Stows tails were up and when fly half George Nuttycombe collected a high ball in front of the posts Weston gave away another penalty and then another one right on the home line. Somehow the visitors failed to score after a knock on and Weston looked to have retrieved the situation but they then gave away yet another penalty which Stow elected to take and the three points left them two points behind at the break.
Weston were forced to make a change in the break when right wing Ryan Watterston was unable to continue which meant an early return for George Chapman who went on at fullback with captain Christopher Young relocating to the wing.
Stow started the second half strongly and scored almost immediately with a converted try to put them up for the first time.
Weston then spent some time near Stows line but were unable to capitalise.
Weston were in disarray and after yet another series of unforced errors the visitors scored another try this time unconverted.
Weston regrouped and earned a penalty near the Stow line which they elected to scrum.
After failing to cross the line initially Talbot eventually found a way and Tilsley's simple conversion cut the visitors lead to three points.
Stow hit back straightaway and went through flimsy defence to increase their lead. The conversion was missed from wide out and Weston responded with a beauty of a try finished off by Main in the corner.
Weston were three adrift with ten minutes remaining.
In the final minute Weston were awarded a penalty which they elected to kick to the corner. It was all or nothing and amazingly enough Talbot went over for his hat trick to give Weston an unlikely victory.
For Weston Koloi and Davis were once again outstanding and with scrum half Ashton Booth his usual consistent self Weston just about deserved their eventual victory.
