Tribute Somerset 2 North

Hornets 2ndXV 20 Weston Athletic 44

The Athletic travelled to Hornets this weekend making the short distance up the Locking Road to Hutton Moor hopeful to avenge the defeat at home to The Hornets earlier in the season. There is always keen rivalry between the clubs and the first encounter this season was a very physical and close game with Hornets pulling away in the final minutes of the game to record a 20 – 10 win. The game in front of a large and lively crowd was a typical of what we have come to expect with many on the field and in the crowd agreeing the rugby got in the way of a good scrap.
Travelling to The Nest, The Athletic were more than aware of Hornets record this season which has been excellent topping the table, unbeaten. The Athletic were also under pressure to pick a strong side this week with both the 1st team at home to Malvern and The United travelling to Tor, there was an anticipated shortage of players. This was to be proven wrong as players, gorged on the seasons delights were keen to get into some exercise. There were numerous old stalwarts, Honey monster Tony Cottle, the very local get orf my land Andrew Ball, the socially challenged Ben Craddock and Clarence Matthews to mention a few. This being said a number of key players were out of position with Merv Down taking on the number 9 jersey for possibly the first time in his career, the move to the ladies part of the game possibly influenced by his recent role as Stinker Bell in the Christmas panto.
Hornets won the toss and elected to kick the ball to the Athletic in what were awful conditions with a heavy pitch but this was the same for both sides and mirrored on numerous grounds across the county. Receiving the kick the Athletic captain (put on high pitch voice) announced “right lads if they are going to kick to us that’s fine it’s our ball and they aint having it back, f*7? um” The Athletic caught and drove and in the course of the next 5 minutes worked their way slowly back into The Hornets half for their first scoring opportunity, Merv over the line with the extras collected by Frost. The game now moved Hornets way with their counter attack coming on strong a game plan to muscle the ball over the try line which they did for an unconverted try. Hornets gaining a bit of impetus and encouraged by their own recent match form returned again to The Athletic’s half to score a second unconverted try.
The game was then held up for a serious leg injury as the game now really started to resemble the first encounter of the season. 20 minutes later service resumed.
This was clearly developing into a 10 man game with the heavy conditions the ball rarely going further than the Number 10 and being played continually back in to the forwards driving play. Weston returned to The Hornets whitewash with Cottle going over for the first of two tries and again Frost collecting the extras. The Athletic now with their heads up returned again to The Hornets try line before half time with the ball crossing for an unconverted try, Ball, although the half was to end with The Hornets having the last word scoring a third unconverted try to leave the half time score at 15 – 19 in The Athletics favour.
The second half saw The Athletic continuing with the impetus with Frost collecting a penalty before being replaced by Craddock with further changes to The Athletic seeing Darren Doughty and James Disney join the fray. The Athletic were to pull away further with a try for Hancock increasing the lead to 27 – 15 before Hornets regained composure and closed the gap to 7 points 27 – 20.
With one score being the lead The Athletic stuck to task with the greater extent of the second half passing with no score and as the game moved into the final quarter The Hornets were caught napping following a series of penalties awarded to The Athletic and Captain Hill calling for scrums. As a further scrum was anticipated, dare I say it quick thinking, I know seems unlikely, saw Wheatley link with the desert rat Matthews to slide in, in the ever worsening conditions. Caton collected the extras to see The Athletic pull away 34 – 20. The Hornets heads were to finally drop at this stage and with the crowd not prepared to brave any more of the weather, noting the ref extended play for possibly the longest game played between two now unrecognisable teams, it disbanded to the bar for two final tries from Doughty and Cottell to pull The Athletic through to a commanding a 44 – 20 victory.
Thank you to our hosts, The Hornets, and well done to The Athletic putting right the defeat at home earlier in the season. Top performance particularly from the front 8 and not forgetting the marvellous ladies in the backs that were in the main forwards, still it is only real men that will brave this weather.
Team:
D Wheatley, G Hill, E Hunt, T Cottle (2 tries), R Frost (2 conversions, 1 penalty), James Matthews (1 try), W Hunt , A Ball (1 try), M Down (1 try), D Burns , L Hancock (1 try), C Arnold , R Blackboro, R Parkinson, O Caton (1 conversion)

Replacements Used:
D Doughty (1 try), J Disney, B Craddock