Sat 28 Feb 2026, 14:30
Regional 2 Tribute Ale South West
Weston-super-Mare 66 North Petherton 7
Weston-super-Mare extended their unbeaten run this season to 18 games, and all with a try-scoring bonus point, at the top of the Regional 2 Tribute Ale South West and are now 24 points clear of second-placed Tiverton, who have two games in hand, writes Chris Heath
On a rare sunny crisp afternoon in front of a large crowd, Weston outscored visitors North Petherton ten tries to one, leaving the local rivals in tenth place, having slumped to their eighth defeat on the road in this campaign.
Weston, who opened the scoring in the eighth minute, after a free-flowing move, open-side flanker Jacob Cox was on hand to dab down in the left-hand corner. Fly-half George Nuttycombe was unsuccessful with the difficult conversion attempt.
In the sixteenth minute, with the hosts camped on the visitors' line, a deliberate knock-on from Pethy’s outside centre Damian Griffin earned him ten minutes in the bin for his troubles, along with Weston being awarded a penalty try.
North Petherton came back into the game with a well-taken try from fly-half Ben Astbury, which inside centre Mitch Needham converted to reduce his side’s arrears to five points, but Weston countered immediately.
Straight from the restart, right wing Keanu Ballard reclaimed the ball, which was spun to outside centre Alex Howman, who broke through to score a great try from fifty metres, which was converted by Nuttycombe.
Approaching the half-hour mark, prolific try-scoring left-wing Hayden Main got in on the act when he was on the receiving end of a perfectly timed pass by full-back Chris Young to score the bonus point try. Nuttycombe again provided the extras.
Another Main run and kick ahead led to an attacking five-metre scrum, but Weston messed up, and the chance appeared to have gone. But the clearance kick only went a short distance, and from the resulting lineout Weston drove for the line.
This time, it was powerful No. 8 Nasili Ikahihifo who scored the touchdown; Nuttycombe converted. Another fantastic set of hands by forwards and backs after a dominant scrum led to Young once again feeding Main for his second try of the afternoon.
The hosts went into the second half with a 38-7 advantage, and the visitors were quickly down to 14 men again when referee Alex Priddle yellow-carded hooker Sam Williams for a late tackle which wound up Weston skipper and loosehead prop Charlie Brabham.
Shortly after, it looked as though Young had jinked his way through but was deemed to have knocked on over the line. From the scrum, Weston took the ball, and inside centre Marcus Nel went over close to the sticks, making the conversion straightforward for Nuttycombe.
Nel scored again almost straight away when he snuck through the middle to go under the posts, and Nuttycombe converted. Weston rung the changes with Maison Turner, Robson Bird and Jake Knight replacing Brabham Cox and scrum half Jack Press.
Weston scored again when Howman raced onto a poor clearance to sprint twenty metres to score in the corner. Nuttycombe landed the difficult conversion, and there were still 20 minutes to play.
After a couple of near misses and several infringements by the visitors' tighthead prop, Ieuan John crossed for a well-deserved try for his afternoon's efforts. Nuttycombe again converting.
That was John’s last contribution as he was replaced by Brabham to a well-deserved ovation by the appreciative crowd. Weston had further chances, but in the end, Weston ran out comfortable winners to consolidate their position at the top of the table.
For Weston, there were superb performances all round, but John stood out, as did veteran second row Ashley Russell, who deservedly was given the Man of the Match award.
Weston’s next Regional 2 Tribute Ale South West league match is on Saturday, March 7, away to sixth-placed Ivybridge, kick-off is at 3 pm.
