Tribute Somerset Premier

Oldfield Old Boys  6 pts  Weston United 22 pts

The first match of the new season proved to be one which was a hard fought victory

When Weston won the first scrum of the game against the head it was a portent of things to come.

In the first fifteen minutes Oldfield lost their prop to injury and their number eight who had stepped up to a somewhat harsh red card for pushing Weston hooker Joe Pullen in the face after another farcical scrum.

Weston had also by then lost wing Troy Hannam to a head injury and replacement Sam Hedges to a knee problem.

Despite the visitors obvious dominance of the scrum the referee deemed that Weston were collapsing and Oldfield took the lead from one such decision through a penalty.

Shortly afterwards the game bizarrely went to uncontested scrums but Oldfield were allowed to keep their by now fourteen players on the pitch thus nullifying Westons most potent strike force.

Weston eventually took the lead in the thirty third minute when a break from skipper Paul Sprague and a tremendous off load by flanker Harry Nash resulted in impressive centre Ollie Caton crashing over for a try converted by scrum half Dan Lomax.

The teams exchanged penalties at the start of the second half before fly half Jon Filer ghosted through a gap for a second Weston try and it was live wire winger Mike McCarthy who finished off the try scoring.

He elected to run a gathered high ball from his own twenty metre area before linking with Caton who returned the ball for McCarthy to scoot in under the sticks to make an easy conversion for Lomax.

The United defended thir line heroically at times in the second half beatingoff wave after wave of attack but their line held.

Although this was a tough opener for the United they can be well pleased with their afternoons work with debutant prop Ollie Streeter and captain Sprague outstanding throughout both in defence and attack as well as other prop Rich Ford and hooker Joe Pullen.

The United host Imperial this saturday with a 3pm kick off time.

Weston United: Adam Godfrey; Mike McCarthy, Ollie Caton, Mike Leahy, Troy Hannam; Jon Filer, Dan Lomax; Rich Ford, Joe Pullen, Ollie Streeter, Ed Hunt, Elliott Monelle, Harry Nash, Paul Sprague, Dave Burge. Reps: Tom Wheatley, Henry Monelle, Sam Hedges.

Weston United scorers - tries: Ollie Caton, Jon Filer, Mike McCarthy; cons: Dan Lomax (2); pen: Dan Lomax

Report by Chris Heath