Tribute Somerset 2 North

Midsomer Norton 2ndXV 14 Weston Athletic nil

Athletic were sunk by two first half tries - very nearly literally. A well known front row forwarded commented that the warm up would be 15 lengths as the team were confronted by a huge flooded area on the way to the pitch.

Conditions were atrocious and the pitch was arguably unplayable from the start - even the white lines were fast disappearing.

Captain Nash elected to play up the slope and into a strong wind and incessant rain.

Midsomer were well equipped for the conditions with a front row including half man half blancmange and his mate, the missing link.

Despite this Weston's pack performed well under intense pressure but Midsomer used a limited approach to the game by kicking for the corners and using their well drilled line out to secure the lions share of the possession.

Athletic defended like tigers and kept Midsomer at bay for most of the half turning round at 14-0 down at half time.

By now the pitch was virtually indistinguishable from the ploughed field adjacent to the pitch.

Players had trouble staying upright, the mirror finish ball was impossible to handle and the game degenerated into a catalogue of errors.

Weston still tried valiantly to run what little possession that they gleaned but they were unable to develop any scoring chances.

Midsomer,s efforts were thwarted and their frustration boiled over into indiscipline resulting in one player being yellow carded and another being shown red for what looked like violent conduct.

Nash was unlucky to be yellow carded as he had merely sought to restrain a Midsomer player.

This fourth defeat from 12 starts for the Athletic is a disappointing start to 2016 but Athletic should be able to bounce back as they face bottom placed Imperial at the Recreation ground next Saturday