Somerset 2 South
Yeovil 2nd XV 0, Morganians 38

MORGANIANS travelled to Yeovil this week buoyed by their recent win over Wiveliscombe and an increasingly competitive squad, and won their 16th game in a row, writes Phil Curd.

Morgs looked to take advantage of the wide pitch at Yeovil and in the first 20 minutes their back three of Mein, Keep and Criddle caused havoc.

First, Mein crossed after good work from Hopkins, before Keep made it 10-0 with a dazzling solo effort.

Morgs’ powerful forward runners created space out wide for Mein and Keep to cross the whitewash again.

This time Mein converted both to put Morgs 24-0 ahead.

Yeovil were on the ropes and had it not been for a lack of composure and poor execution, Morgs would have been out of sight – Olly McGeown diving over but dropping the ball as he crossed.

The second half was an entirely different story, as Yeovil, with the wind at their backs, stopped trying to take on Morgs’ forwards and sent their big centres up against Morgs’ lighter backs.

Good phase play and indiscipline from Morgs’ tacklers allowed Yeovil to move in to the visiting sides’ 22 and Morgs had to dig deep time and again to keep the hosts out.

On occasions, Morgs broke clear but poor execution cost them possession while Criddle had his breakaway try ruled out for a forward pass.

Soon Yeovil were camped in the Morgs half again and the visitors were down to 14 men when Dave Harris was sent to the sin bin for what what perceived to be a ‘team yellow’.

Again, Yeovil piled in to Morgs’ defenders and the one time they broke through, their centre knocked on as he dived for the line, under pressure from the tenacious Rossiter.

With both teams looking exhausted, McGeown sped away with a loose ball and when tackled just short of the line, he found the excellent Criddle who crossed for a converted try.

That score put an end to Yeovil’s fight and Morgs soon scored a sixth as McGeown wove through a broken defence to register a much-deserved try on the stroke of full time to make it 38-0.

Morganians: Pierce, Luke, Richards, Grimstead, Weller, Wood, Croker, Cooper; O McGeown, Hopkins, Williams, Rossiter, Keep, Criddle, Mein. Replacements: Harris, R McGeown, Armstrong, Burtenshaw, Bennett.

This coming Saturday Morgs travel to Midsomer Norton in search of their 17th consecutive league victory.

***

NORTH Petherton competed well against South West 1 West leaders Weston-super-Mare, but eventually went down to a hard-fought 24-18 loss.

Pethy, now eighth in the table, are without a game this coming weekend, but are at home to Okehampton (who are seventh, one point ahead) on February 11.