Sat 26 Apr 2025, 15:00
On a warm and bright day Weston welcomed Devon side Cullompton to the Rec in the first leg of the Papa Johns trophy quarter final.
Cullompton won the toss and elected to play towards the railway station in the first half.
With little wind this game had a lot of potential.
The Devon side looked the more likely in the early stages and following a quick tap from a penalty only a tremendous tackle by debutant fullback Max Patterson prevented an early try.
A bullocking run by Weston lock George Talbot gave Weston territory but it was spoilt by a knock on later in the piece.
A surprising penalty awarded to Cullompton led to the opening score when once again they tapped early and caught the defence out to cross to the left of the posts. The conversion gave the visitors a seven point lead in the thirteenth minute.
Cullompton increased their lead when following a knock on by Weston the visitors pushed Weston over to double their lead in the twentieth minute.
The hosts needed to up their game but every time they had a period of possession they coughed up the ball to lose all momentum. This only galvanised the visitors and they were soon roaring towards the Weston line only to give away a penalty.
Weston then lost Talbot to a wrist injury to be replaced by Sam Light.
Cullompton then had their influential fullback yellow carded for foul play and Weston finally got into the visitors twenty metre area from which following a line out Weston drove their way over with veteran lock Ashley Russell getting the final touch.
Centre Archie Tilsley popped over the conversion to cut the lead to seven points with a few minutes remaining until halftime.
Another superb touch finder from scrum half after Cullompton infringed once more led to the hosts being in an advantageous position but for once after dominating the line out Weston made a mistake and the chance was gone.
However with persistent foul play Cullompton were once again down to fourteen and with break beckoning Weston had another chance but centre Cam Maslen was held up under the sticks.
But then the away side intercepted on their own line to race away and get a relieving score. The try being expertly converted from the left hand touch line.
That was halftime and the hosts had a lot of work to do in the second half if they were to comeback into the tie.
The visitors added points early in the second half following a penalty conceded by Weston in front of the posts.
Weston in their attempt to get back into the game were making too many basic errors either through handling or just not being able to get on the front foot.
The hosts were increasingly giving away penalties and from one such misdemeanour Cullompton had a chance to put themselves twenty points clear but the kick was missed.
The Devon side smelt blood and were only stopped from scoring when they were held up over the line.
However it didn't take long for the Devon side to increase their lead through shaky defence from yet another penalty.
The introduction of young fly half Ollie Dadds on for Patterson with captain Young relocating to fullback.
The visitors increased their already ample lead when they went through yet another gap and scored a converted try under the posts in the sixty sixth minute.
Weston were bereft of ideas but even when they reached the opposition line they managed to drop the ball over the line. Cullompton meanwhile had another player sin binned and Chapman kicked to the corner. From the catch and drive the visitors infringed once again but Weston through a crooked throw and another chance went begging.
Hooker Tom Wheatley finally gave the home crowd something to cheer about when he was the beneficiary of a catch and drive. But there had been a melee and even this try was written off.
Cullompton then rubbed salt in the wound with yet another try which with the conversion put them on forty three points.
Left wing Hayden Main scored a late consolation with Tilsley adding the extras.
The visitors still had time to get yet another yellow card for another high tackle. And then made it fifty with a pushover scrum and conversion after another quick tap.
Weston were well beaten by the better side and will need to regather some confidence for the return leg in Devon.
