North Petherton 31ptsDrybrook 12pts
Traveling, once again, with a much changed side, Drybrook got off to a good start. Early pressure from forwards and backs combined led to a ruck 22 metres out. The ball was quickly spun to stand off Tim Stevenson who adroitly slipped the ball to winger Kristian Taft who, running the inside angle, broke through to score under the posts. Tom Treherne added the conversion to put Drybrook 7pts ahead after five minutes.
Drybrook continued to put pressure on the home side but, gave away a series of penalties whenever they found themselves in good attacking positions. In the meanwhile, North Petherton converted two penalties.
Neither side really took hold of the game and half time arrived with no further scoring.
Half Time:
North Petherton 6pts
Drybrook 7pts
The second half had barely begun when Drybrook conceded another penalty for holding on. This was duly converted and North Petherton took the lead for the first time.
Drybrook continued to take the play to the home side and were rewarded with a penalty. Unfortunately, following a difficult kick, the ball rebounded from the post and following some scrappy play North Petherton seized on a loose ball and ran in an excellent try wide out to increase the lead to 14pts – 7pts.
From the kick off, Petherton gathered the ball and using the pace of their back line, ran in a superb try, added the conversion and minutes later repeated the performance.
Drybrook suddenly had the game taken away from them and were now reeling with a 7pts – 26pts deficit but, showing great character, pressed Petherton at every opportunity.
Thirty minutes into the half, Mitch Baldwin was yellow carded for tackling off the ball and at the same time, an injured Mitch Renton was replaced by Craig Clark.
The home side took advantage of the Drybrook disarray and once again, the pace of their backs brought another try.
Immediately after this, Drybrook’s stand off, Stevenson and the Petherton number 11, were both yellow carded for fighting.
Drybrook never gave up on the game and following some excellent forwards work to secure the ball, it was spun wide to winger Taft who ran in for his second try, taking the score to 31 – 12 at the full time whistle.
Drybrook look forward to having a few of their regular players back for the last two games but it was really good to see Craig Clarke back in a first team shirt after over a year out following knee ligament surgery.
Drybrook First XV: Tom Treherne, Kristian Taft, Ollie Gray, Ben Large (capt), Mitch Baldwin, Tim Stevenson, Gareth Holdsworth, Mitch Hale, Luke Fisher, Anthony Suter, Will
Greenway, Glenn Nott, Sam Peaper, Mitch Renton, Mitch Bourne.
Replacements: Chris Rawlings, Craig Clarke, Huw Rimmer.
Stop Press; Assistant Team Manager Alan Miles was punished for his late arrival when the team bus left without him. Manager Chris Rawlings, always a stickler for the rules, was having none of it and ordered the driver to head off.
When the embarrassed Miles finally turned up at North Petherton it was pointed out to him that Fergie time held no sway at the Mannings and if he wanted to be considered for next season then he needs to step up to the plate.
