Taunton 46 - Westcombe Park 23 (Match Report)

User Rating:  / 0

Taunton continued the on-field revival with a deserved 46-23 victory over Westcombe Park at Hyde Park on Saturday.

Prior to kick off, the Taunton and Westcombe Park teams, joined by Management Committee members, lined up in front of a crowd of over 500 supporters to offer their respects and sympathies for the victims and their families of the recent M5 tragedy.

A short service conducted by club chaplain and player Rev. Vince Carrington recognised the tragic loss of life and paid tribute to the professionalism and bravery of the emergency services before those on the pitch turned towards the motorway in unison and all in attendance observed a minute’s silence.

The match itself started in lively fashion, and it was the visitors who had the first chance to put points on the scoreboard. After getting into a good position a drop goal attempt from Luke Giles was unsuccessful as it drifted across the face of the posts. He did not have to wait long to make amends, when Taunton were penalised allowing Giles to step up giving the visitors a three point lead.

Taunton responded almost immediately through lively scrum half Joe Bartlett. The forwards had set up a stable platform and the youngster looked to spread the ball wide but as the door closed on him another opened. He needed no further invitation to go through the gap and cut a nice line through the defence to score under the posts. Tony Yapp converted to give Taunton the lead.

That lead was extended ten minutes later through another score, this time from the indomitable Jason Luff. His experience came to the fore when he shrugged off tackle attempts from the Westcombe Park defence for a run to the line from thirty metres out. Yapp added the extra two points with the boot.

The lead could have been increased when the forwards then set up camp on the opposition line. They patiently built the phases, but when Dave Bates drove over the line the referee was perfectly placed to decree that the Westcombe Park defenders had held him up.

Yapp and Giles exchanged penalties before Westcombe Park scored a try through their hooker Hamish Barton. The visitors started the move in their own half, and the forwards ensured scrum half Charlie Edwards was able to distribute quickly. Barton provided the support and had the better of the defence to sneak in behind them and score outside on the right. Giles added the conversion.

Taunton’s forwards worked hard all afternoon, with Sean Fox excelling in winning turnover ball. Slick service from Bartlett allowed Yapp to control the game and Christian Gervais proved hard to stop with his powerful, direct running. As the game progressed the home side fashioned more chances and they had another effort held up over the line. Liam Wilkinson thought he had found a gap but the desperate Westcombe Park defence again did enough to get underneath him preventing the score.

The gradually increasing pressure from Taunton was rewarded through another score on the stroke of half time when Luff added his second. The ball was switched to the short side with Luff working hard around the corner to cross the line underneath the covering defenders. Yapp’s conversion attempt from the touchline was narrowly wide but Taunton held a 22-13 lead at half time.

The early stages of the second half were evenly matched, with both sides looking to play open and expansive rugby. Additions to the scoreboard came through Giles and Yapp again exchanging penalties.

The Westcombe Park forwards plugged away with Jonathan West and George Blomfield both prominent, ably supported by their captain Barton. Their wings Kieran Leeper and Michael Adeniya both looked dangerous every time they had the ball. Taunton’s Gary Kingdom once again used his experience to marshal the home defence to keep the visitors out.

The bonus point try for Taunton came next, and as so often this season it fell to Reuben Haile. A typically strong run saw the wing man bat away and step out of several tackles to cross the whitewash and bag the first of his brace for the afternoon. Yapp added the extra two points to put Taunton in a commanding position going into the final quarter of the match.

Within five minutes Haile scored again, bringing his personal tally to fourteen for the season so far. The youngster is now two clear at the top of the league try scoring records as we approach the half way point of the campaign. The trusty boot of Yapp ensured it was another seven points.

With the clock running down Taunton added a sixth to the delight of the home crowd. Following more sterling work from the forwards a gap opened up in front of Bates and the second row galloped in from ten metres. Kingdom stepped up and slotted the conversion.

Westcombe Park had played their part in an entertaining encounter and with injury time underway they ended the match with a well deserved try. Their quick recycling of the ball at the breakdown was spread to the midfield and Blomfield in support crossed to give the travelling supporters some cheer. Giles’ kick saw the flags raised and the final whistle blown. The final score 46-23.

The crowd warmly recognised the efforts of both sets of players in what was an entertaining encounter. Continuity and the hard work behind the scenes are coming together and there is clearly a better feeling around the Taunton camp, with the side collectively growing in confidence and showing improvement over recent weeks. The win takes the side away from the bottom three but there is no room for complacency. It continues this Saturday with a trip to Shelford.

The County Stores sponsored man of the match for Taunton was awarded to Joe Bartlett.

All photos in this article are courtesy of Sportography LLP. Please visit their website at http://www.sportography.co.uk/