Tribute South West One West

Bridgwater & Albion 9 Bideford 8

BIDEFORD will have spent the journey back to North Devon wondering how they did not manage to win this close encounter, writes Tony Pomeroy.

Bridgwater did not take the lead until the 37th minute of the second half and just managed to hold on for the narrowest of wins.

Bideford had first use of a strong wind blowing down the pitch and in the early minutes were camped in the home 22.

Even a series of penalties for Bridgwater did not see them clear their lines very far and it was no surprise when Bideford took the lead after 15 minutes with a penalty for fly half Ollie Wickett.

A rare Bridgwater attack saw visiting prop George Snell sin-binned after 19 minutes and almost immediately, after a scrum infringement, Chris Ashwin levelled the scores with a good penalty kick into the wind.

Bridgwater came back into the game and put together a good flowing move that eventually broke down and then a set a driving maul that went from their own 22 to halfway but also coming to nothing.

As the opening period was drawing to a close, a Bideford penalty from their own 22 led to a lineout near the home line.

A driving maul proved unstoppable and a try was awarded to number eight, Dean Folland. Wickett could not convert from the touchline and he also missed a kickable penalty on the stroke of half time, leaving the interval score at 3-8.

Bridgwater, with the aid of the wind, had more of the play in the second half.

Another good driving maul and a strong scrummage put Bideford under pressure and after 10 minutes, Ashwin kicked a straightforward penalty when Bideford were penalised in a scrummage to narrow the gap to 6-8.

The first Bridgwater change of the day saw Rob Thompson replace the evergreen Dan Kemmish after 52 minutes.

Wickett should have increased the Bideford lead but he pulled a 22m penalty from just to the right of the posts. Minutes later, Ashwin also missed for Bridgwater, this time from 40m wide on the right.

With the penalty count mounting - it finished 19-10 in favour of Bridgwater - the referee warned Bideford of the possibility of a second yellow card, or worse.

When Dean Folland then infringed, he became the second Bideford player to see yellow.

Nobili then joined the fray at hooker going into the final quarter.

When Bideford were again penalised in their own 22, Bridgwater spurned the kick at goal, opting to scrummage against the seven of Bideford, but the ball was lost.

With 12 minutes remaining, Nick Spellissy joined the back row with Trebble-Westlake moving to the backs at the expense of Kerry.

With only three minutes remaining, Bideford again offended at a scrummage, Ashwin lined up another penalty - again from 40m wide on the right - and this time his radar was accurate and, as the flags went up, the home crowd roared their approval.

Bideford threw everything into a final onslaught on the Bridgwater line but, despite having a defensive scrummage disrupted, the home side held out to deprive Bideford of the win they probably deserved on the balance of play.

Bridgwater will have been mighty relieved to have gained four points from a game that could very easily have been lost.

With Camborne losing narrowly, Bridgwater have actually narrowed the gap with the leaders to seven points and are five points clear of third placed neighbours, Weston-super-Mare, who have a game in hand.

This victory will give Bridgwater heart for a tough trip to Avonmouth next Saturday.

Bridgwater & Albion

Pens: Ashwin (3) Bideford Try: Folland Pen: Wickett

Bridgwater Team: James Martin, Garryn Basson, Rob Gurnett, Will Kerry (rep Nick Spellissy 68), Rob Allen, Chris Ashwin, Scott Franklin, James Bryant, Tom Hillman (rep Gabriele Nobili 59), Joe Bussell, Taylor Buller, Dan Kemmish (rep Rob Thompson 52), Luca Ercolani, Ollie Dunn (Capt), Ethan Trebble-Westlake.

Referee: Brian Perry (Somerset Referees Society)