BARFC Colts 19, North Petherton Colts 8 (11/01/14)

BARFC Colts

The result of this eagerly anticipated match gives Bridgwater & Albion Colts their 6th straight league win and they have now won eight and drawn one of their eleven match season to date.

Watched by an unusually large crowd the first half was dominated by the home side, who continually harried and pressured the visitors defence which was equally determined not to concede. The Bridgwater pack though were not to be denied and ten minutes in, scored through No.8 Ollie McGeown from the back of a ten metre scrummage. The extras were added by Fly half Luke Payne who slotted an impressive conversion from wide. Pethy made just three forays into home territory in the whole first period and never really looked like scoring.

Meanwhile, Bridgwater added a further try after 20 minutes from a two phase driving maul, straight from the training ground, when Prop Brett Shaw was driven over in the corner. The pack had already won a penalty when a driving maul was adjudged to have been pulled down by the visitors, but Bridgy were unable to capitalise. Another excellent touchline conversion from Luke Payne made the score 14 – 0. The restart saw Bridgwater surge forward again with the backs looking to run, and in particular Bridgwater Scrum Half Niall Homer making one of his several jinking runs in tight space, the ball came to Second Row Kyle Gibbs-Hartley who was just brought down short of the line after a 30 metre run – one of several he made throughout the match.

Shortly before half time from a well controlled scrummage, McGeown picked up and broke away offloading to Winger Joe Keane coming through on the blindside. Keane avoided two tackles and scored Albions’ third try and their final points of the game as this time the conversion was missed.

The second period started much as the first, but Petherton appeared much more organised and aggressive in their play and although Albions’ pack were still ruling the roost the visitors backs were having the better of it. A series of Albion infringements led to Petherton’s first points when at least 5 home players were caught off side, and the kick from 35 metres sailed between the posts.

Bridgwater fought back and at one point had a three man overlap which they failed to use, and the opposition defence held out when Bridgwater pack inexplicitly lost control of the ball on the away 22. Bridgwater Captain and Flanker Troy Williams, gave the home side plenty of ball from both home and away line outs, but the home team had gone off the boil and were caught short of numbers at the back by an excellent Petherton counter attack which saw Ben Coombes score in the corner. The try went unconverted.

Its fair to say that the second period was a more even affair and that Bridgwater deserved their win. The match was played in the right spirit with respect for both sets of players and as one would expect excellently refereed by International ref. Tony Spreadbury.

Bridgwater Colts do not have a match next Saturday as they have already qualified for the next round of the Somerset Cup. Their next match is away at Clevedon on Saturday 25th January. However Colts are looking to fulfill one of their weather postponed matches.

Category: Colts, Colts- News