Tribute Somerset 2 North

Weston Athletic 12 Stothery & Pitt 2ndXV 24

Weston welcomed Stothert & Pitt to The Rec this week looking to end a dismal run of defeats but instead added to their woes with a wet weekend of a performance.

Stothert arrived without a front row and so had already conceded the league points and it was as if Weston wanted to thank them for that by giving them the game.

Weston received the kick we're looking like England internationals: confused and not sure what was going on.

Stothert started much the stronger and when Weston's guards nipped off for a late lunch at the breakdown the visitor's scrum half wandered through to score under the sticks. Conversion somehow missed, 0-5.

Weston got themselves back into the game during the rest of the half but there was a real lack of energy amongst the players and they compounded it with mistakes that gave the visitors all the encouragement they needed.

A penalty late in the half looked to have turned things Weston's way, but it would be Stothert who had the final say of the half.

Weak tackling, pick and go, try under the sticks was pretty much how it played out. Conversion somehow missed again, 3-10 half time.

Second half, following a wake up call, under way and at last Weston using their far more superior pack.

Catch and drive from the lineout led to a 25m rumble and Jake Whatley collapsed over the line to bring Weston back, 8-10.

But from the restart disaster. Weston turned over following a pick and go, no one at home, fly hack, try, conversion, 8-17,

Kick off, recycled, miss pass, intercepted, try, conversion, 8-24.

I may have missed something, because I was crying at the time, but that pretty much covers it.

Weston deflated, heads down, until with 10 minutes to go, cries of aggression ringing out in the Weston ranks. T

he side buoyed by the arrival of Dan Cope from Wanderers duty who demonstrated more in his cameo than many had in their 70 minutes to date and hey presto we started to play a bit.

Catch and drive working well, Whatley on hand to complete a brace, conversion good, 15-24.

Restart collected, more pressure, before a cross field kick from Loz Ware.

"What are you doing?" ringing out from the crowd, "Aiming for our winger," was the reply and Rich Frost duly caught the kick to cross in the corner. 20-24 and hang on a minute we could nick this with 4 minutes to go.

However it wasn't to be and to honest had we had nicked it, Stothert would have been the unluckiest team on planet earth.

Weston were pretty much second best all over the place today.

The area we dominated we didn't use and Stothert gave a great demonstration of teamwork.

Not all doom and gloom though. Olly Gibbs and Dan Cope were really impressive, whilst Chris Kenneth worked hard all day.

Weston have got to get back on the training paddock asap and this starts Tuesday. 5 weeks to go.

Man of the Match this week was Jake Whatley who marked his return with a strong showing.