BRIDGWATER and Albion recorded their first victory of the season after beating local rivals North Petherton in a tense encounter at College Way on Friday night.

Talking after the match Geoff Sluman the Bridgwater and Albion director of rugby said the game epitomised a local derby.

“I think the game was a typical derby game, it definitely was not a spectacle of flowing rugby but it was a really tight game with both sides cancelling each other out."

“Personally, I am not really surprised with a win, our recent performances have been getting better week on week and it kind of felt like we were building to this," Sluman said.

Bridgwater Mercury: Bridgwater v North Petherton rugby

The home team was led out onto the pitch by Shaun Mahoney and George Sluman who were making their 50th and 100th appearances for the club respectively.

Bridgwater had the chance to take the lead after four minutes when they were awarded a penalty just inside the Pethy half, but the long range kick was caught by the wind and went wide.

Three minutes later Albion mounted a move that saw them over the visitors try line but Pethy defended well and they were unable to ground the ball.

After quarter of an hour North Petherton made their first incursion into Albion territory when following a cross field clearance they were awarded a scrum on the five metre line just to the left of the posts, but the home defence held firm and their effort was held up.

Soon after however the visitor’s pressure was rewarded when full back Jack Rees kicked a penalty from the 22 metre line.

Bridgwater Mercury: Bridgwater v North Petherton rugby

On 20 minutes Pethy extended their lead when Rees kicked another penalty to make the score 6-0 to the visitors.

Will Munro threatened whenever he got the ball and on one occasion burst down the right hand side for the hosts but once again the visitors defence held firm. Both sides had their chances but neither were able to make them count and the half ended without any further score.

The hosts kicked off the second half and within three minutes of the re-start Petherton had a player yellow carded and the resultant penalty was slotted home by Stuart Heal to make the score 3-6.

Bridgwater were very much in the ascendancy at this stage and five minutes later Oskar White burst through the middle and touched down for a try between the posts which Heal added the extras to which put the home side in front.

Bridgwater Mercury: Bridgwater v North Petherton rugby

North Petherton came back strongly and mounted a series of attacks down the right hand side but on each occasion they failed to make their pressure count.

With 20 minutes remaining Bridgwater had a player yellow carded but despite this they managed to repel the Petherton attacks, and it was the home side who ended the game the stronger to run out the winners of this fiercely contested and competitive local derby.