South West One (West)
Bridgwater & Albion 25, Newent 27

THIS fast-moving, action packed and, at times, scrappy game ended in favour of Newent who won their first match ever on Bridgwater turf, writes Richard Walsh.

The hosts took the lead after just three minutes when number eight Brad Talbot burst through the middle before passing the ball out to James Brakes on the left wing, who scored the opening try 

Sadly, Talbot limped off shortly afterwards and was replaced by Arron Kelly.

The number eight returned and featured in another move that ended with an electrifying run by Kyran Devitt stopped just short of the Newent try line.

The visitors then gained the advantage and moved the ball into the Bridgwater half where a long pass out to the left found Dan Fletcher, who went over for an unconverted try to level the scores.

Bridgwater were reduced to 14 men when Ethan Trebble Westlake was yellow carded and soon afterwards Mikey Addis put Newent ahead with another unconverted try.

On 33 minutes, Bridgwater reduced the arrears when Stuart Heal slotted home a penalty but, almost from the restart, Newent extended their advantage with a try and conversion from Tom Webb.

In the dying minutes before the interval, Newent found themselves a man down following the carding of George Phelps and at half-time the visitors led 17-8.

The Forest of Dean side wasted no time after the re-start and, almost from the kick-off, Fletcher went over for his second try to stretch the lead even further.

However, Bridgwater dug deep and, after nine minutes they were awarded a penalty for offside which resulted eventually in Rob Gurnett scoring a try to the right of the posts which Heal converted.

A Heal penalty further reduced the arrears and when the hosts were awarded another, Bridgwater decided to go for the three points, but the kick went wide.

Newent were also relentless in their attack and a driving maul in the right hand corner following a line out eventually saw Ben Stevens touch the ball down to make it 27-18.

Bridgwater weren’t done yet, though, and, in the dying minutes, Gurnett scored his second try just to right of the posts which Heal converted straight after the final whistle went with the score 27-25 to Newent.

Bridgwater & Albion - Matt Ranson, Matt Hastie, Craig Blyde, Rob Thompson, Ethan Trebble Westlake, Jon Roberts, Ollie Dunn, Brad Talbot, Tom Fourniwe d’ Able, Stuart Heal, Bryan Webb, Rob Gurnett, Garryn Basson, James Forrest Brakes, Kyran Devitt. Reps (used) - Sam Adcock, George Sluman, Arron Kelly

REFLECTING on the game, Albion’s director of rugby Geoff Sluman said: “It’s the same story that it has been for the last couple of weeks - a really good effort but, in the end, we got close but we weren’t quite enough to beat another team near the top.

“Everybody put in a phenomenal effort in the game and full credit must go the players.

"Straight afterwards, head coach Simon Morrell and I were telling the lads they put in a good shift but they were the ones saying it wasn’t enough, that they made too many mistakes and want to do more, so fair play to them.

“I think the undoing of us was the penalties in the first half - we gave away far too many - and the soft try we gave away at the start of the second."

South West One (W)

Bideford 21, North Petherton 28

NORTH Petherton leapfrogged Bridgwater & Albion in the South West One (W) table with victory at struggling Bideford on Saturday.

The two local rivals are now level on 51 points in mid-table but Pethy have a game in hand, which is at Okehampton on Saturday.

The big derby is then on Friday, April 6.

North Petherton 2nds also won, defeating basement side Old Bristolians 21-19 in Somerset One in a match between the bottom two.