BARFC 31, Wells 12 (20/02/16)

AN Other | 20/02/2016

MATCH REPORT BY TONY POMEROY

Bridgwater returned to winning ways after two consecutive defeats and in the process obtained a rare four-try bonus point, thus keeping alive their slim hopes of a league play-off spot. With this win, Bridgwater remain in fourth place in the league but they have narrowed the gap on the teams immediately above them.
Bridgwater brought in Jay Owens in the centre with Chris Ashwin moving back to fly half. Adrian Tew stared at tight-head prop with Joe Bussell on the bench and Taylor Buller returned at No 8.
Early exchanges were fairly even but Bridgwater missed the chance of an early lead when a Chris Ashwin penalty was blown wide by the stiff cross-wind that made kicking difficult all afternoon.
A Luca Ercolani break took play deep into Wells territory and Bridgwater got over the Wells line but could not ground the ball. From the resulting scrummage, Bridgwater moved the ball right where it reached speedster, Kyran Devitt who opened the scoring with an unconverted try wide on the right.

Both sides were throwing the ball about and play flowed from end to end. Wells spurned a kickable penalty but Bridgwater held out and after a 50m move to half way, home scrum half Scott Franklin kicked immaculately to the corner. That chance also came to nothing and when Wells took play back into home territory, Aaron Cook was well wide with a 30m penalty.
Rob Gurnett started a great move from deep inside his own half and the ball reached home winger, Oscar Tregenna, some 40m out. He easily beat the last defender and scored the second Bridgwater try under the posts giving Ashwin an easy conversion.
From the kick off, Bridgwater’s Ollie Dunn appeared to be high-tackled but, for his sins, was himself penalised. Cook again missed the penalty. With the stop-watch showing 41 minutes, play continued and when Wells were penalised 30m out, Ashwin took it quickly, caught the defence napping, and moved the ball right where it reached Gurnett who scored in the corner. Ashwin’s superb conversion was the last act of the half and left the home side at a 19-0 advantage.
In the first minute of the second period, Bridgwater achieved a four-try bonus point when, following a run by Rob Thompson, livewire flanker, Luca Ercolani, crossed in the corner. Ashwin’s conversion shaved the posts.
Wells hit back immediately. When Bridgwater infringed in mid field, Cook kicked a penalty to the right corner. Bridgwater infringed again at the lineout and this time Wells opted for a scrum. When this scrum collapsed, the referee awarded the inevitable penalty try, converted by Cook.
The game became very disjointed as the exchange referee found some very inventive reasons to award penalty after penalty – a total of 25 were awarded during the game – with Wells being the 15-10 beneficiaries. Bridgwater were further hampered with a yellow card for Dan Kemmish. While he was off, Wells narrowed the gap with a good, unconverted try for No 8, Lewis Cohen.
The final score was a second try for Gurnett, following a quickly-taken tap penalty, converted by Ashwin with another superb kick from the touchline and sealed a deserved 31-12 victory.
The Bridgwater coaches will be pleased not only with the five try win, but the manner of the win. The scrummage looked very solid and the line-out was ruled by Dan Kemmish and his cohorts. The pack generally played well and held on well to the ball in the loose. The backs looked lively and the move of Rob Gurnett to full back looks inspired. Bridgwater will approach next week’s re-arranged game at Chard brimming with confidence and despite Chard’s win this week, will be looking for another bonus point win before a tough visit to promotion challengers, Thornbury. The next home game is on Friday March 11th, kick off 7-30 pm, when Clevedon visit for the re-arranged league match

Scorers:
Bridgwater & Albion
Tries: Gurnett (2), Devitt, Tregenna, Ercolani
Cons: Ashwin (3)

Wells:
Tries: Cohen, Penalty Try
Con: Cook

Bridgwater Team: Rob Gurnett, Kyran Devitt, Rob Allen, Jay Owens, Oscar Tregenna, Chris Ashwin, Scott Franklin, Lewis Phillips, Gavin Knight, Adrian Tew, Dan Kemmish, Rob Thompson, Luca Ercolani, Ollie Dunn, (Capt), Taylor Buller.
Replacements all used : Joe Bussell, Ethan Trebble-Westlake, Tom Fournier-D’Albe.

Referee : Simon Hill (East Midlands)

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