Avonvale produce improved showing
Avonvale welcomed Dorchester to The Crown Field for the first game of the new Counties 1 Southern South season and, despite their lengthy injury list, they gave a good account of themselves against the team that had inflicted their two biggest losses last season.
Vale welcomed back George Hobbs for his first game in nearly three years and he returned to his original position of loose-head prop, linking back up with his old colts hooker John Keepen - who was also back from an injury sustained last January. 42-year-old Matt Elsinor started at tight-head and they gave Vale a solid foundation.
With six backs missing, it was never going to be much of a running game for Vale but they added to an entertaining afternoon with some strong carries from 18-yearold debutant Ollie Phillips. It remained scoreless until just before half-time when the ball trickled over the Vale line and they were slow to react, the Dorchester centre dived on it under the posts to give them an easy conversion try.
The game remained nip and tuck in the second half, with most of the play in between the two 22-metre lines. Vale tried to run out of defence but the ball was intercepted to give Dorchester a 14-0 lead with ten minutes to go. Vale came back strongly and secured a try through Hobbs, with fly-half Alex Pugh adding the extras.
Dorchester were then awarded a penalty under the Vale posts which took them ten points clear and Vale were denied a losing bonus point when the referee adjudged that second-row Marcus Larbalestier was held up over the line.
After the game, coach Dave George said: “It was a disappointing result at the end of the day but Dorchester put 50 and 40 points on us last season so we are improving. We will get better as some of our injured players start to return but great credit to the players for sticking with it especially as a lot were playing out of position.”
■ AVON had to settle for two points as they opened their new Counties 2 Somerset campaign with a narrow 25-24 loss at Yatton. After a thrilling match played on a rock hard pitch in front of a large home crowd, Avon were left to rue a couple of missed opportunities and unfortunate game management in the last five minutes which let the deserved win escape them.
Playing up the slope against the wind, Avon made a wonderful start as their imposing pack made several forceful drives up the right before recycled ball was swiftly transferred for full-back Jonny Batchelor to show speed and strength to touch down in the corner for the opening try. His conversion attempt bounced back off the posts.
Avon followed up with their second try to open up a 12 point lead as solid scrum ball on halfway saw number eight Dan Cousineau launch an attack up the blind-side before releasing emergency scrumhalf Jake Coates. A quick burst of pace attracted the defence and winger Iain Parrris danced inside past three despairing tacklers to score under the posts. Batchelor added the extras.
This stung Yatton into action as they started to dominate possession and territory to sustain pressure inside the visitors’ 22. Immense defence repelled their attacks but, after several successive penalties were awarded, Yatton eventually took the points to open their account. Eventually, further repeated infringements saw Avon yellow carded and Yatton immediately seized their opportunity to stretch the defence and exploit their extra man for a converted try.
With half-time approaching, a quick tap penalty allowed Yatton to force their way over the line for another converted try to take the lead with the last move.
With the roles reversed after the interval, it was Avon’s turn to build pressure down the slope. Penalties were forced and the subsequent line-out drives forced Yatton into a desperate defence. However, they had no answer as man of the match Will Hayward burst through to feed Coates who was hauled down just before the line. Supporting Dan Griffin was rewarded for an industrious afternoon with a deserved try, again converted by Batchelor.
Avon were now totally on top and a sweeping three-quarter move only fell short with a fumble on the wing. Avon had a try disallowed as their two lock forwards interchanged passes inside the home 22, before another score was ruled out after an interception from debutant Josh Banks. Eventually Avon’s ascendancy was rewarded as a huge tackle from Josh Hiscott saw turnover ball moved to Cousineau to power across the line for their bonus point try.
With a 24-17 lead, Avon defended as Yatton threw everything at them and added a try to reduce the deficit to two points after a quickly taken tap penalty from their elusive scrum half with five minutes left on the clock. Unfortunately for Avon, they failed to execute a successful exit from just outside their own 22 and accentuated the error by then conceding a penalty which Yatton gleefully stroked through the posts to secure an unlikely win.
Avon are away again on Saturday as they travel to take on Tor.
■ ELSEWHERE, Keynsham suffered a 29-0 whitewash at Matson in Regional 2 Severn. The derby in Counties 1 Southern South went the way of visiting Combe Down at Walcot. It proved the closest contest between the sides in their last four games though as Walcot were only beaten 19-11.
Oldfield Old Boys managed a half-century to get off to the perfect start in Counties 2 Tribute Somerset. Hosting Weston-super-mare 2nd, Oldfield avenged their 51-13 defeat at Weston in April with a 50-10 victory here.
Stothert & Pitt began their Counties 3 Somerset North campaign on Friday under the lights against Bristol Harlequins, but suffered a 22-17 defeat. The derby in the division the following day brought Keynsham 2nd a 38-13 victory over Oldfield 2nd. Harvey Hobbs, Drew Lewis and William Hughes all scored a brace of tries for Keynsham, with Lewis managing four conversions. Old Sulians beat Nailsea & Backwell 2nd 18-13.
Combe Down 2nd continued their winning streak over Warminster 2nd with a 26-19 success in Counties 3 Dorset & Wilts Central. It was slightly closer than the 65-5 win in January and 66-26 victory in March 2019.