Sat 14 Nov 2026, 14:00
Regional 1 Tribute Ale South West
Topsham 43 Weston-super-Mare 51
Weston-super-Mare ended a run of five Regional 1 Tribute Ale South West defeats as they came back from 26-17 down at the break on a crisp Devon November afternoon in the first-ever league encounter against Topsham, writes Chris Heath.
The visitors fielded a depleted side as captain Tom Sugg and influential backs Will Crane, Marcus Nel, and Alex Howman were injured. Centre Huw Morgan, having a good start to the campaign after a two-season sabbatical at The Nest, led the side.
Weston started promisingly and were rewarded for their endeavour when hooker Tom Hatch produced a superb show-and-go before crashing over to give the visitors the lead in the sixth minute.
Fly-half George Nuttycombe was unable to add the extras, and the visitors then had to make an early replacement when loosehead prop Gary Carpenter came off, with Jason Rowlands entering the fray.
Weston were playing predominantly in the Topsham half but didn't take advantage, which cost them when the home fly-half Lewis Webb took a quick tap penalty near the Weston line, the first time the Devon side had come anywhere near scoring.
The visitors hit straight back, but centre Cam Maslen was held up over the line. But Weston maintained the pressure and a break from Morgan led to wing Rowan Wilmot, on his senior debut, producing a super dummy to score in the corner.
Weston then defended well and broke out, with scrum half Blake Boyland producing a superb clearance kick that went out to the line-out. From there, full back Stuart Souch added to his season’s tally, and Nuttycombe finally nailed a conversion.
A stupid offload then gifted the hosts a converted try, cutting Weston's lead to three points after half an hour. A great break by Rowlands was carried on by No.8 Nasili Ikahihifo, but the break was ruined by a dropped pass.
Another tremendous break by Boyland, carried on by blindside flanker Matt James, was again thwarted by Topsham. After Weston were penalised at their own scrum, the hosts broke out, and crossed for a converted try.
Topsham again scored immediately after the restart for another converted try to give the hosts, who had not won at home since the season’s opener against Lydney, had a nine-point lead at half-time.
Topsham were clinical with the ball in hand, whereas, despite their hard work and endeavour, Weston were unable to make all their possession count on enough occasions, with silly mistakes costing them.
Weston started fantastically in the second half, and after a Boyland quick tap, skipper Morgan barged his way over, with Nuttycombe adding the extras to cut the hosts’ lead to two points.
Another dropped pass stopped another promising attack by the visitors. But after Weston defended their mistake, they were rewarded with an attacking scrum on the visitors' twenty-two.
This resulted in Topsham conceding a penalty in front of the posts, which Nuttycombe kicked to give Weston a one-point lead. But that was short-lived as they conceded a penalty at their own scrum and the home side were back in front again.
Weston then introduced Robson Bird for Louis Brooker after Ieuan John had replaced Charlie Brabham at halftime. The visitors were once again in the ascendancy, and after a break by Hatch, Souch took the pass.
He chipped the Topsham fullback to go over the whitewash to regain the lead with Nuttycombe’s conversion giving his side a five-point lead. Carpenter returned at hooker, and Dax Blyth came on for Willmot.
Weston, with momentum, then gifted the hosts yet another converted try after an interception, and Topsham now had a two-point lead. The visitors lost influential Boyland, which meant a reshuffle of the back line.
Blyth took over as scrum-half, James moved to the wing, with flanker Jacob Simpson coming off the bench. A storming run by John, and when the ball was recycled, Maslen put Souch through for his third try of the game.
Nuttycombe was taken out by a Topsham defender while kicking. Carpenter and John provided great entertainment in the midfield, with John ending by dummying and storming over, with Nuttycombe providing the extras.
Weston were rampant, and after James and Maslen combined to put Souch over with a theatrical dive, Weston were fifteen points clear with less than five minutes remaining.
Topsham were awarded a penalty for a high tackle and tapped and went, and James did brilliantly to hold up over the line. The hosts were unhappy and were penalised for chatting back to the referee, thereby enabling Weston to clear their line.
Another interception gifted Topsham another converted try, but it was too little too late as Weston secured victory. Weston Souch scored four to add to his impressive tally for the season, but Hatch took Man of the Match honours for a superb display.
Photos HERE from MonGoLikeRugby
