Chew come out on top in try fest at North Petherton

CHEW Valley won 46-31 at North Petherton, in a game where both defence coaches will have something to say at training.

The visitors gave a first start to Elliott Matthews at full-back and they started brightly with a try for Silas Cox on the wing after a Matt Wright turnover, and with No 8 Daniel Brooker converting and knocking over a penalty they were 10 points up in as many minutes.

Wing Damien Griffin was on the end of a chip ahead for a try in the corner, but the visitors were almost back to their fluent best. Hooker Jack Monk dummied to create the space to put centre Charles Shallcross in on 17 minutes, Silas Cox grabbed his second on 22 and with another Shallcross try on 29 the bonus point was secured. Brooker converted two of the tries.

Seeb Roodt, in the centre, picked a great line off the shoulder of his fly-half and an arcing run outpaced the defence for a try converted by full-back Jack Rees.

Pethy came out stronger in the second half and, with replacement wing Henry Gildfon grabbing a hat-trick of tries, the visiting supporters were left grateful he didn’t start.

Centre Joe Cowell capped a strong display with a try breaking from a ruck on halfway to score under the posts, and he added the conversion.

A Brooker penalty meant the visitors were always more than one score ahead. A yellow card for skipper Sam Williams on 76 minutes scuppered any miracle comeback, and when Johhny Eves navigated a maul to the line from 10 metres out, together with the Brooker conversion, Chew Valley went back up the A38 to look forward to a week off before the first ever visit of Old Patesians to Lobbingtons