Bridgwater & Albion 20pts
Drybrook 17pts
A controversial red card issued to Drybrook’s Mitch Bourne after 38 minutes proved critical in this game between two evenly matched teams. The visitors emerged with a good deal of credit for making a real game of it after that but were undone by a try in the dying minutes that snatched victory away from them.
The first 20 minutes were littered with mistakes from both teams and the game was not free flowing at all. Bridgwater began to boss the territory and eventually took the lead with a converted try.
Drybrook hit straight back from the kick off and second row Will Greenway scooped up a Bridgwater knock-on before bursting into the home 22 metre area. In the ensuing panic the ball was flicked up to the supporting Glenn Nott who touched down mid way out and Tom Treherne added the conversion.
Drybrook continued to show plenty of enterprise and following another charge up field Bridgwater infringed and Treherne kicked the penalty to give his side the lead.
With the half drawing to a close Bridgwater were on the attack and it was from a ruck close to the line that Bourne was adjudged to have entered with a swinging arm that led to his rather harsh red card.
Bridgwater kicked the penalty to the corner but Drybrook just kept them out but then conceded another penalty, this time in front of the sticks, that Albion kicked to draw level.
Half Time:
Bridgwater & Albion 10pts
Drybrook 10pts
Drybrook’s bad luck continued when Mitch Renton did not come out for the second half with his place being taken by Reece Lane.
Albion started the second half well and soon went into the lead with a penalty goal and they kept up the pressure when they charged down a Tim Stevenson kick to force a line out.
Drybrook managed to stem the tide when scrum half Ben George made a decisive break before finding Mitch Baldwin on hand who was just pulled down short of the line.
Bridgwater scrambled back a second time to avert danger when flanker Danny Price made good ground and then the visitors retook the lead with a penalty try.
With Bridgwater under the cosh the ball was moved one way then the other and with a clear overlap created a deliberate knock on was rewarded with the penalty try and a yellow card for the miscreant.
With time running out it seemed Drybrook might just hold on for victory but with 3 minutes left Bridgwater gained a penalty against the visitor’s seven man scrum. Quickly taken it led to a try in the opposite corner that was converted to give them the lead once more.
In a hectic last couple of minutes Drybrook tried in vain to get the vital score but a knock on at the death spoiled their chance of victory.
The losing bonus point was scant reward for Drybrook who never seem to have any luck when they play against Bridgwater. There was a feeling that this was 4 points lost and had they been able to keep 15 men on the field and not had so many personal unavailable the result may have been different.
For Drybrook both second rows Nott and Greenway were prominent with flanker Danny Price also in good form.
Out behind both wingers Baldwin and Gardner continue to impress and it was good to see Tim Stevenson back for his first game since being injured in early September.
Drybrook 1st XV: Tom Treherne, Harry Howard, Kristian Taft, Mitch Baldwin, Rhys Gardner, Tim Stevenson, Ben George, Alex Wolfe, Ashley Howells,Nigel Ncube, Glenn Nott, Will Greenway, Danny Price, Mitch Bourne, Mitch Renton.
Replacements: Huw Rimmer, Reece Lane, Ollie Moore.
