Taunton Warriors 33 Bridgwater and Albion 40

This was an exciting local derby between two clubs who have played many such games with the lead changing hands four times and Bridgwater eventually coming out on top.

In the first ten minutes Bridgwater had most of the possession but were unable to break down a very stern Warriors defence.  However, in defending the Warriors were conceding penalties and this was taking any pressure off of Bridgwater.  On 10minutes Bridgwater converted a penalty to give them a three-point lead.  Just 6 minutes later and another penalty conceded and Bridgwater were able to maul over the line for their first try.  A yellow card to the Warriors and Bridgwater were able to exploit the Warriors defence for their second try.  When the Warriors had the ball, they looked dangerous and so on twenty minutes Brodie Sheach was able to break clear togive the Warriors their first try which Josh Guest converted to reduce the deficit to six-points.  Yet another Warriors penalty conceded and from the lineout and maul, Bridgwater scrum halfJon Hill was able to snipe around the base and score.  The Warriors started to gain more possession and with the ball in hand they always seemed to be making gains.  Prop Jan Davison picked up from the maul and using his pace and size for the halfway line made a decisive break before Josh Guest was able to take the ball on being caught just short of the line, but ever in support Broadie took the pass and scored his second try of the game which was converted and the Warriors were just four-points adrift. Broadie then pounced  on ball from the back of a Bridgwater ruck making a decisive break before passing on to Ben Heath who was stopped just short on the line but prop Jan Davison was in support and went in for the try.  With the conversion this gave the Warriors the lead for the first time and as such they went in for half-time leading 21-points to 18.

The second half started in a somewhat similar way to the beginning of the game, the Warriors conceding penalties and Bridgwater kicking at goal to level the scores.  We then saw a most bizarre incident where a wild pass went out to prop Jo Atkins, he was not able to gather so trapped the ball with his foot and with Bridgwater bearing down on him he flicked the ball with his foot backwards into the hands of the Warriors wing who started his run.  The whistle went, Bridgwater were awarded the penalty, and the Warriors wing was given a yellow card.  The ball was kicked into touch, Bridgwater win the lineout and maul the ball over the line for the try.  Bridgwater were back in the lead but not for long when Ben Heath took a pass from his other centre Henry Webb who had put him in the gap.  Ben was then able to race from within his own half to score the try which was converted and the Warriors were back in the lead.  The Warriors  then received their third yellow card of the afternoon.  When the Warriors backs ran at the opposition defence it seemed there was always a chance for a score and Ozzy James coming into the line from Fullback exploited the opportunity and he was rewarded with a run in for a well-deserved try.  With forty-minutes on the clock it seemed like job done but the Warriors giving away another penalty from which Bridgwater ran the ball and scored the try which was converted.  With the two teams’ level and in the 43^rd minute surely the game must now be over but it restarted and in the 46^thminute of the half Bridgwater score the try to win the game.

With the three yellow cards it meant that the Warriors played the game for thirty minutes with  a player short.  They scored two superb tries with a player short and must be commended for their play. There were some very big performances put in by a number of players showing the quality in depth the Warriors give to Taunton RFC.

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