Sneddon rues narrow miss after Vellacott leaves it late
IT TOOK Ben Vellacott’s last-gasp try and a nerveless Joe Perry conversion to deny Rosslyn Park a famous victory over unbeaten league leaders Hartpurty in a topsy-turvy encounter at The Rock.
Rosslyn were a minute away from handing Hartpury their first defeat before Vellacott scored the winning try.
This was Hartpury’s 24th consecutive win, keeping them on course to become the first undefeated National One team, but it was a struggle as they failed to secure a try bonus point for only the second time this season.
“It was in the balance right to the end,” Hartpury’s director of rugby John Barnes said.
“It’s the first time we’ve been behind going into the last ten minutes of a game so it shows some great character from our players.
“We knew today would be a contest and that motivates the guys. Remaining unbeaten now until the end of the season would be an outstanding achievement and that is the focus now.”
Hartpury made the stronger start with fly-half Perry converting two penalties within the first ten minutes.
Rosslyn were given a penalty on 14 minutes which Harry Leonard duly converted, knocking over another on 23 minutes to level the scores.
The hosts were ahead two minutes later when Mark Kohler drove over the line for the first try of the match but suffered when hooker Tom VaughanEdwards was sin-binned on 35 minutes.
Hartpury capitalised as Steve Leonard’s 38thBut minute try was converted by Perry, who then scored a penalty to give Hartpury a half-time lead.
But Rosslyn were undimmed and Russ Weir intercepted a loose ball and Kohler finished off a fast move on 49 minutes to hit back and regain the lead.
Leonard’s conversion struck the post, which cost Rosslyn as Perry scored a penalty a minute later.
Fortunes turned again as Hartpury’s Joe Dancer was sin-binned and Rosslyn scored a penalty try on 59 minutes, convert-
ed by Perry. But it didn’t last long as scrum-half Vellacott scored for Hartpury from a quick line-out on the hour.
Rosslyn though, continued to fight and took the lead back on 68 minutes when Leonard calmly converted another penalty.
The upset remained on, but only for five minutes as Hartpury showed the sort of ruthlessness that has taken them 28 points clear in National one.
First, Perry converted a penalty and then Vellacott scored the winner on 78 minutes.
Rosslyn ended up ruing the number of decisions that went against them.
Coach Scott Sneddon said: “We had to show them respect but I think we showed them a little bit too much early on.
“In the last 20 minutes of the first half we started to look really threatening. I don’t think we got the rub of the green. There were a couple of penalties that would have and probably should have gone the other way.
“The boys can be proud but I think we should have got more out of it.”