BARFC 27, Hornets 38 (31/10/15)

Somerset Cup – Quarter Final
Match report by Tony Pomeroy

Cup holders, Hornets, maintained their grip on the trophy with this hard-fought win over Bridgwater & Albion. Scoring six tries to Bridgwater’s three, Hornets were good value for their victory.
Both sides selected weakened sides, keeping some 1st XV regulars on the bench.

Regular Bridgwater 1st team players, skipper, Ollie Dunn, Dan Kemmish and Chris Ashwin were on the bench with Rob Allen, Garryn Basson, Taylor Buller, Tom Fournier-D’Albe, Gabriele Nobili and Luca Ercolani all getting the day off.

Hornets had all the early pressure and with Keiran Hill missing a straight-forward penalty in the first minute the visitors should have taken the lead. They also butchered two gilt edged chances with poor handling before, in the 14th minute, skipper Rob Dempsey broke clean through for an unconverted try.

This reverse spurred the home side into action and they began to pressure the visitors.

The home side lost young fly-half James Collings with a leg injury and he was replaced by Chris Ashwin. A good Bridgwater move ended with Oscar Tregenna being tackled into touch whilst in full flight for the line and the Ashwin missed a very kickable penalty for the home side.

On the half hour, a good Bridgwater move was disrupted by a deliberate knock on by Hornets full back, Stuart Vinnecombe, who was sent to the naughty step. Ashwin kicked the resulting penalty.
Bridgwater totally dominated the rest of the half. A Rob Gurnett break set up Nick Spellissy for a try and moments later, more good handling saw winger Ryan Bartlett cross under the posts. Two conversions from Ashwin saw the home side 17-5 up at the interval.

Hornets started the second period in very lively fashion. James Letherby, who had come on at fly half during the break, broke clean through and handed on to Jermaine Jones who scored under the posts and then converted his own try.

Bridgwater were at sixes and sevens from the kick off and flanker Kade Dillon’s try and Jones’ conversion took the visitors into a narrow 17-19 lead.

From the kick off, Hornets were adjudged offside and Ashwin regained the lead for the home side with an excellent penalty.
Around the middle of the half, Hornets pressure coupled with poor Bridgwater defence, saw visiting hooker, Keiran Ward get a brace of tries, both converted by Jones.

Bridgwater hit back and , after visiting second row, Courtney Harris, had been sent to the bin, Bridgwater set up a driving maul that was eventually touched down for a try by Ali Blundell. Ashwin’s conversion took the score to 27-33 with a quarter of an hour to go. Bridgwater brought on club skipper, Ollie Dunn and the very experienced Dan Kemmish to try and sneak the win but the visitors held out and with the final move of the game increased their lead with an unconverted try by replacement Adam Francis.

Bridgwater backs looked good with the ball in hand, running purposefully but the occasional pass still went astray. In defence, they were occasionally cut apart by the visitors, particularly when the more experienced Hornets backs were on the field. The pack were under pressure in the scrums and conceded too many penalties at the set pieces. The line-out, as ever, looked secure.

Hopefully, the players and coaches will have learned from this game with some of the promising youngsters in the club being given their chance against a strong side from a league higher than Bridgwater. They were certainly not disgraced.

The club have no game next week as the Newent game was played earlier in the season to avoid a clash with Bridgwater Carnival. The next game will be at Wells on November 14th.

Scorers :
Bridgwater & Albion
Tries : Spellissy, Barnett, Blundell.
Cons: Ashwin (3)
Pens: Ashwin (2)

Hornets
Tries : Dempsey, Jones, Dillon, Ward (2), Francis
Cons : Jones (4)

Bridgwater Team
James Martin, Ryan Bartlett,(rep Brett Shaw 74) Rob Gurnett, Jay Owens,(rep Matt Ranson 61) Oscar Tregenna, James Collings, (rep Chris Ashwin 17) Doug Caddick (rep Scott Franklin 43), James Bryant, Gavin Knight, Joe Bussell (Capt), Ali Blundell, Rob Thompson (rep Dan Kemmish 69), Ethan Trebble-Westlake (rep Ollie Dunn 69), George Sluman (rep Joe Sluman), 61, Nick Spellissy.

Referee : Chris Newton (Somerset Society)
Assistant Referees : Brian Perry, Max Weston ( both Somerset Society)

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Category: 1st XV News, Previews / Reports -XV