Tribute Somerset Premier

Chew Valley 2ndXV 17  Weston United 22

Another five points as the United continue to climb up the league.

Weston were looking to continue their recent run of good form against Chew on a very wet and heavy going pitch.

Captain for the day George Chapman got slightly confused at the toss and for some strange reason chose to kick the game off as opposed to playing into the swirling wind......fortunately it all worked out in the end!

Weston were first to score as they elected to kick to the corner from an early penalty. A fine catch from the lineout by Callum Kingscott led to flanker Dave Bird burrowing over the line.
Chew then lost a player to the sin bin for a high tackle and from the resulting play winger Mitch Salisbury scored a fine try out wide following good hands from the backs.

On the stroke of half time another great catch and drive by the pack led to number eight Tom Crossman scoring the try. All three conversions were missed by Chapman and winger Troy Hannam could have scored two tries but was unable to get over the line.

Weston were asking themselves if the half time score of 0-15 was enough of a lead as the wind had not dropped at all for the remaining 40.

Chew kicked two early second half penalties and then scored a try through their flanker following a great break by the centre and the score was now 11-15.
Weston were then forced to rejig their back line following injuries to Loz Ware and Adam Godfrey.

With an hour to go the Weston pack began to force errors out of Chew due to sustained pressure at the breakdown.

Weston were awarded a penalty near the Chew try line and the quick thinking Crossman took a quick tap and was then tackled by a Chew player who failed to retreat thus preventing a definite try.

The referee rightly awarded Weston a penalty try which Chapman converted and the bonus point was secured.

Chew then kicked two further penalties to secure a losing bonus point late on as Crossman was strangely sent to the sin bin as he was adjudged not to have released the tackled player when he clearly had.

It wasn't a pretty game but a well earned five points and the United are now unbeaten in their last five outings.

Kingscott disrupted a lot of the Chew lineout and the Weston back row was lively, in particular Bird and Crossman who grafted all afternoon and stole a fair amount of ball at the breakdown much to the frustrations of the Chew forwards.

Weston United: Adam Godfrey; Mitch Salisbury, Loz Armstrong, Sam Waterman, Troy Hannam; George Chapman (capt), Ben Searle; Harry Nash, Joe Pullen, Will Hunt, Callum Kingscott, Simon Hudson, Paul Sprague, David Bird, Tom Crossman. Reps: Tom Wheatley, Ben Cradoick, Jon Filer

Weston United scorers - tries: David Bird, Mitch Salisbury, Tom Crossman, pen try; con: George Chapman; yellow card: Tom Crossman (77 min)ird