Comfortable for Blaydon

Wales’ Liam Williams scores his side’s second try against South Africa WILMSLOW BLAYDON 5 38

A FIRST-HALF hat-trick by winger Jack Appleton put Blaydon comfortably on the road to a third consecutive victory but after racking up a 31-point lead made very little of their advantage in the second period.

The visitors stormed into a 10th-minute lead when Appleton got possession from a flowing move and found himself confronted by three defenders but beat them all en route to the line, Jamie guy converting.

On 15 minutes, the lead was doubled by Dan Marshall who gave Guy another simple conversion kick. Forward pressure then led to a third, the move finished off by Appleton, who then crossed for his hat-trick and the bonus point try on 26 minutes.

Guy again added the extras and at the break it was 26-0.

Five minutes into the second half, hooker Cameron Bell added a fifth try but with the game effectively won, Blaydon seemingly lost concentration.

When the visitors lost possession on half-way, Wilmslow took advantage, with their fly-half Brendan McCullum scoring a fine individual try to bring it back to 5-31.

Nathan Bailey did secure a sixth Blaydon try, which resulted in Guy landing his fourth conversion, to complete the scoring in what had been a disappointing second half.