Regional 1 South West

Drybrook 21 Weston-super-Mare 20

Report by Chris Heath

How Weston lost this game is probably a microcosm of the whole season. For long periods they dominated this game, but all too often, instead of taking an easy three points from very kickable penalties, they went for the tries.

Although this worked and has worked on occasions, the fact that they lost this game by actually trying for three points with a long-range Dan Lomax effort with less than a minute to go when hindsight would suggest that a kick up the line and a line out would perhaps have been the better option only cements this idea.

The fact that the attempt fell short and Drybrook ran it back, resulting in a second yellow for Huw Morgan and a successful penalty to give the hosts a one-point victory, was a very bitter pill to swallow.

Weston, on the whole, dominated the game with some powerful running play. Although they went three nil behind, they immediately countered when the hard-running Morgan made a half break, resulting in a penalty.

Fly-half James Mackay kicked to the corner. From the resulting lineout, a strong run by prop Ollie Streeter ended with a long Mackay pass putting fullback Joe Burgess over for a superb team score.

Drybrook retook the lead against the run of play with another penalty, but Mackay's great kick and collect ended with a penalty scrum to Weston. From this scrum, half Jack Press found right-wing Kyran Devitt, who had come across from his touchline to provide another long pass for Burgess to cross for his second.

But Weston being Weston this season, went behind straight from the kickoff when Devitt's attempt to clear his line was charged down for Drybrook to score the simplest of tries.

This was a portent of things to come as despite being the better side for long periods in the first half, Weston went into the break a point behind.

Weston came out in the second half with a resoluteness of thought and were straight onto the attack. A tremendous left-footed boot from Mackay travelled many a metre, and pressure from openside flanker Billy Kirk earned Weston a penalty which they decided to take as a scrum.

They didn't make it across the hosts' line but were awarded a further penalty which, at the vital moment, they lost control of the ball to spurn another opportunity. Mackay, then nearly crossed but was high-tackled.

Weston decided to scrum again, and this time they were successful with number eight Euan Tremlett dabbing down near the sticks to make Mackay's conversion a relatively simple one.

The visitors were now six points up and playing well. However, Drybrook once again had a chance to score almost immediately, but a poor pass made their right-wing knock on with no one in front of him to give Weston a close escape.

Morgan then made an excellent steal for a penalty that Mackay kicked to give Weston a nine-point lead with less than twenty minutes remaining. This was the point when things started to go awry.

Right-wing Ollie Caton, who had a fine overall game, had just put in a crucial interception to prevent the hosts from hitting back, but he was then yellowed for a similar attempt which he just failed to keep hold.

Mackay then left the field with a leg injury along with Burgess, who sustained a nasty-looking eye injury while tackling. Lomax relocated to fly half from scrum half, where he had replaced Press ten minutes earlier.

Press then had to redeploy to fullback, and all this with Caton in the bin. Weston were flustered and the hosts earned a penalty which was quickly tapped and scored through an unorganised defence.

The conversion was quickly taken, and Drybrook were only two points behind with about five minutes left. And so it was that the calamitous last minute occurred, which leaves Weston on the brink of a game that summed up so many games this season.

Dominant and fluid to dullness and panic in the space of a few minutes, with still some fine individual performances, notably from Streeter, Coles and Carpenter in the front row, along with lock Ash Russell and Kirk in the back row.

Morgan was always dangerous, and Mackay and Burgess were their usual threatening selves, but as a team, they need to be more streetwise in the upcoming games if there is not to be an ignominious end to the season.

Weston have two home games in a row with Old Centralians, who lost 61-12 away to league leaders Camborne, and Lydney (both kick off at 2 pm) before trips to Exmouth and Brixham to complete their league season.