Regional 2 Tribute Ale South West

Weston-super-Mare 57 Tiverton 12

Weston-super-Mare will go into the second half of the season unbeaten and 14 points clear at the top of the Regional 2 Tribute Ale South West league as they ran in 11 tries on a breezy, occasionally wet, afternoon at home to second-placed Tiverton, writes Chris Heath.

Left wing Hayden Main crossed the whitewash four times for the hosts, taking the 22-year-old's tally to 22 this season, having made his senior debut in the defeat away to Ivybridge in September 2022.

Full back Alex Howman nearly scored in the left corner in the opening minutes, but Weston didn't have to wait long to trouble the scoreboard when the visitors infringed. Scrum half Jack Press took a quick tap and passed to inside centre Marcus Nel.

He made ground and offloaded to Hayden Main, who opened his account with a try under the posts with fly-half George Nuttycombe adding the conversion. Minutes later, after another Nel break, right wing Keanu Ballard scored in the corner.

Second row Sam Larrimore was then unfortunate to be yellow carded for a high tackle when the opposition player seemed to be falling. A storming run by loosehead prop Ieuan John led to a penalty, but Nuttycombe was off target with his attempt.

This didn't affect the hosts, and it wasn't long before Howman added to the try count, after good work by forwards and backs. Tighthead prop Will Bamsey then had to leave the field with a leg injury, and Maison Turner replaced him.

Outside centre Cameron Maslen then made a superb break but was held up over the line. It was all Weston at this point, and their bonus point was secured when hooker Gary Carpenter touched down after more forward power play.

Nuttycombe converted this one to put the hosts 24-nil ahead on the half hour. A long kick by Howman led to yet another score when Carpenter offloaded to Press to put half back away for Weston's fifth try.

Nuttycombe converted and then added the extras to a second Press try, again after another fine Nel. Weston's dominant scrum then earned another penalty, and Nuttycombe's kick went deep into Tiverton territory. But the lineout was not straight, and the visitors survived.

A fantastic offload by Carpenter led to Press being taken out, but a penalty was deemed sufficient. Weston elected to scrum, and after a bit of argy-bargy, the hosts took a tap penalty, which led to Nuttycombe dummying and going over.

His conversion ended the half on a high and sent Weston into the break with a 45-0 lead. John was replaced at half-time with blindside Jacob Simpson going to hooker, Carpenter redeployed to prop, and Robson Bird coming off the bench to play in the back row.

Playing into a stiff breeze in the second period, Weston kicked off and failed to reach ten metres, but they took a scrum against the head with the new look front row. After more good work by forwards and backs, Main battled his way over for his second of the afternoon.

Weston now had fifty points on the board, but with the conditions deteriorating, Bird turned the ball over, and great hands led to Main cutting in for his hat-trick try. Howman then moved to the centre to replace Maslen, with replacement Ryan Watterston going to full-back.

After yet another forceful scrum, Press broke to put Main away for his fourth and Nuttycombe converted. Tiverton finally got on the scoreboard on the hour when their pacey full-back Ben Bingham sprinted for a try, converted by fly-half Callum Stone.

Nel then had to leave the field with a split eye, and the visitors scored again through Bingham in the corner. A strong Main run led to another penalty kicked to the corner, and a driving try was secured by Larrimore, but it went unconverted.

Weston were excellent in defence as well, which rattled the visitors, but it eventually calmed down. They kept the visitors at bay for the rest of the half and ran out worthy winners with Simpson a revelation at hooker for the first time.

On Saturday (December 13), Weston-super-Mare make the long trip to face league newcomers Penzance and Newlyn, 2.30 pm, with the Cornish side fifth in the table after a 42-20 home win over Teignmouth.

Match photos HERE