Taunton RFC 46 - Barton Hill 12

That's much better, Taunton. Seven tries to two and a flawless second half, when promoted Barts were kept scoreless, did much to wipe out the memory of the previous week's narrow reverse at Torquay.

The visitors had won three of their first four matches and early play showed they were not going to be pushovers. But Taunton were calm and focused under first half pressure and utterly ruthless as they shut out the Bristolians in the second session.

Taunton's pack had control throughout and gave scrum half, Mark Winter, an armchair ride in his 200th first XV appearance. His service provided playmaker Jon Martin with the time and space to control the game.

He opened up with a 10th minute penalty and converted Alan Gill's try when the winger was given room to sprint into the corner.

Barts hit back with a lineout win and a huge cut-out pass which bounced before winger Rob Baker found nobody at home.

A failed clearance kick was then spread right and left and flanker Danny Thomas applied the finishing touch - Martin again converted.

On the half hour the visitors shocked the Taunton pack with a lineout drive and try for flanker Sam Steer which stand-off Mike Richards converted.

With the last play of the half, with cheers ringing out from the clubhouse as England duffed the Aussies, a sliced cross kick from Etienne van den Brink found his opposite winger and a quick bout of passing saw hooker Boschie Muller blast over for an unconverted score.

Barton Hill's second half excursions to Taunton's territory were mainly confined to restarts, the first of which failed to "go 10". From the resultant scrum a dummy run by Winter made space for No.8 Tex Raratabu to burst to the away posts, eventually claiming a try from a following maul. Martin converted.

Before the hour was up, Taunton worked two overlaps. Thomas scored his second try and then prop Alan Low barged over, both wide out.

For almost all of the final quarter, Bart's defence was nothing short of heroic as Taunton battered away at it, to no avail, until the very last act when van den Brink wrapped a pass around his marker for lock Ross Ward to stride over. Martin's conversion closed the game.

Once again, neither side had any complaint about the referee, the very competent Mike Beddington from the East Midlands Society.

Bill Luckett