Drybrook Rugby Club

Weston-Super-Mare R.F.C 17
Drybrook R.F.C 8pts

The Squirrels although lacking a couple of key players, were more than up for this close fought encounter between two evenly matched sides.
The first half got under way with Drybrook playing against the breeze. The home team were looking to bounce back from a close defeat away at Camborne a week earlier, while the visitors were hoping to build on two back to back bonus point victories.
As you might expect it was tough going with both teams giving away nothing in defence and throwing everything into attack.
Toby Powell showed what a valuable asset he is to the squad, this year, with his pace off the line in defence denying the Weston side any sort of momentum. Frowen, Watts and Tingle followed this up by competing for everything at the breakdown and there was little to choose between the two sides in the opening quarter.
Indeed, it took a small lapse in concentration at the set piece to allow Weston in for the first points of the game. Drybrook failed to hit on the engage and were already going backwards when the ball was fed into the scrum. Weston number eight Brad Talbot was able to pick up and go over the line for the opening try. The conversion was kicked by winger Alex Howman and the home team held the advantage at seven points to nil.
From the restart Drybrook took the ball and a good forward drive by Mitch Hale was quickly recycled by Regan Marsh, into the hands of the returning Drybrook talisman Tim Stevenson. Stevenson easily broke a number of tackles and was hauled down close to the try line. The forwards then drove for the line with Dean Jelf

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being the man to touch down. The conversion sailed just to the left of the posts and the score showed a two-point advantage to Weston who led seven to five.
Drybrook were then dealt a blow when influential number eight Joe Tingle was forced to leave the field when he aggravated the shoulder injury, he had picked up the previous week.
The half finished with no further addition to the score-board and plenty to play for in the second period.
It started much the same as the first had finished with the defence of both teams holding firm until the sixteenth minute. A forward barrage by the Weston pack was rewarded when wing forward Ben Tothill touched down for his teams second try. Howman converted and Weston led fourteen-points to five.
With the players they were missing and injuries taking their toll, hard-working Glen Nott also having to retire with a shoulder problem, it would have been easy for the Drybrook team to lose heart and let the game slip away. it is not how-ever in this teams D.N.A to lie down, and they fought valiantly to get back in the ascendancy.
Sam Peaper who had come on for Tingle was always looking to make ground, and the strong running of Stevenson, Ben Large and Mitch Baldwin kept the home defenders on their toes.
Prop Mitch Hale and his partner in crime Harry Daynes were also proving a handful, but to be fair to Weston they weathered the storm and looked to use their strong ball carriers whenever the opportunity provided itself.

Drybrook had to wait until the seventy-eight-minute mark to add to their tally. A Stevenson penalty looked to have at least given the visitors a point for their hard work. It could well have been more as Drybrook launched one last attack. The tenacious Danny Price set pacey full-back Olly Moore on his way towards the Weston line but once again the home defence was up to the task, and when they broke away downfield it was Drybrook who gave away the penalty for coming in at the side of the ruck.
Just as Drybrook had done to Okehampton the previous Saturday up stepped Howman to make sure that Drybrook returned home with nothing more than a few bruises and their pride intact.
This was a good game played in excellent spirit, and Drybrook will feel confident that they can build on this performance. Players like Powell, Addiss and Daynes have added to the squad, and with others to return there is every hope that Drybrook can continue to be a strong contender at this level.
Next week they face table-toppers Barnstaple who have won all three games so far this season, in what is sure to be a battle royal at the Manning’s.

Drive on Dry and up the Squirrels!

DRYBROOK SQUAD: MOORE, ROBERTS, PRICE, LARGE, BALDWIN, STEVENSON, MARSH, TINGLE, FROWEN, WATTS, NOTT, POWELL, HALE, JELF, DAYNES, ADDISS, PEAPER, HALE.