Sat 12 Feb 2022
Tribute South West Premier
Weston-super-Mare 10 Drybrook 16
Report by Chris Heath
Bristol Academy back row Macenzzie Duncan made his home debut for Weston-super-Mare off the bench but unfortunately was on the wrong end of the Seasiders defeat that ended a run of five league victories but they remain fourth in the table.
Duncan, 18, made his debut at No.8 for the Seasiders in their 31-nil victory over Exmouth in November and came off the bench earlier this month in Weston's 34-29 win over Launceston at Polson Bridge.
Weston produced their worst performance of the season spoiling their unbeaten new year run with an abject display containing a multitude of basic errors as well as giving away too many basic penalties and Drybrook thoroughly deserved their victory.
With record points scoring fly-half James Mackay and free scoring centre Cameron Maslen missing with Covid, Weston knew they would be in for a hard game as they were forced to reshuffled their backline.
Drybrook kicked off and within the first two minutes full back Jack Curtis on his return from injury had made two try saving tackles and flanker Jack Woodland had been sent to the bin.
Somehow the game remained pointless until well after twenty minutes when Drybrook took advantage of another Weston infringement, full back Tom Treherne kicked a penalty.
The visitors repeated the feat five minutes later following another Weston illegality and then scored their only try when left wing Luke Robert's broke down the stand side before kicking ahead to enable scrum half Corrado Colombo to touch down.
Another Treherne penalty before half time put the visitors sixteen points to the good at the break.
Weston were pointless and very poor so the second half was greeted with at least the hope of some improvement and when Weston were awarded a penalty try which was followed soon after by an Ollie Walrond penalty it looked as though the great escape might be on.
However, that was as good as it got for the hosts as although they prevented the visitors from adding to their first half tally further bouts of inaccuracies accrued to leave Weston grateful to have at least got a losing bonus point in a game that hopefully will be quickly forgotten.
Weston travel to the Saintbridge Sports Centre to face ninth-placed Old Centralians on Saturday [February 19] with the hosts having won their last two league games but suffered a comprehensive 59-14 defeat when they visited the Recreation Ground in October 2021.
