Taunton Warriors 58 Wells 10

This was the last league game of the season for the Taunton Warriors but will not be their last match as now they start their progress in the Somerset Cup.  This was the smallest crowd of the year with only 90supporters in attendance.  With super Saturday on the television a lot of regulars must have preferred to watch that rather than our Warriors for whom most of the team it was their first season in senior rugby.

Wells had a large, strong pack and for the first 10 minutes showed their intent with trying to out muscle the Warriors and so it was not surprising that the Warriors gave away their first penalty on 4 minutes whic hWells number 10 Darren Baylis converted to give them a three-point lead. As the Warriors secured more ball so the quality of the Warriors backs started to show through and from a break by Connor Banks, Nial Crouch was able to use his pace to score a try.  Connor converted to give the Warriors a 7-pointto 3 lead.  The Warriors then had a devastating blow with Charlie Parr,who has been an outstanding player for the Warriors all season hurting his legand having to retire.  This brought on to the field Oliver Wrelton for hisfirst game back after injuring himself early in the season.  With just 16minutes on the clock the Warriors other centre Henry Webb went in for a try to extend the lead.  With the half-hour up second row and captain for the day, Taine Benson burst through on the Wells ten metre line and completely outpaced the wells defence to score third try and extend the lead.  The fourth and bonus point try came from the shear brilliance, strength, and pace of Ben Fenton who with very little room on the right wing, dipped his shoulder, handed off and then out paced the Wells defence from the halfway line to score the last try of the half and give the Warriors a 24-point to 3 half time lead.  The next two tries came from players who deserve tremendous praise.  Connor Parker scored the first and Brodie Sheach the second.  Both backrow forwards who for the sake of the game played front row on the day whilst Brodie has filled in at hooker during a game because of injury Connor went into loose head prop for the very first time.  His opposite number the Wells tight head prop was big and experienced, Connor held his own all afternoon and towards the end of the game was dominating. Experience also counted in this game when Ollie Massey Birch saw how quickly the Wells defence was coming up, he put in the deftest of kicks over the top of the defence gathered the ball and scored an excellent solo try.  Well against the run of play the Wells second row Tom Philips took an interception and ran in unopposed to give Wells a converted try.  Ben Fenton went in for his second try of the afternoon before the cheekiest of tries from Connor Banks who took the ball from the lineout and sneaked up the touchline to use pace and strength for a try.  The last word of the afternoon came from captain Taine Benson who scored his second try on the stroke of full time to leave the score at Warriors 58 Wells 10.

Ten tries were scored by the Warriors during the game four of which came in the last eight minutes.  Wells admitted after the game it was the superior fitness of the Warriors which allowed them to be outplayed.  Credit must go to Wells who dominated phase of the game and it was only some very secure tackling and defence by the Warriors which kept them from scoring.  It has been a learning process for these young lads in their first season in senior rugby and they have been ably supported by some of our senior players who must also take great credit for their part in the development of our young players.  Full marks to our coaching staff who have embraced the Warriors into the whole coaching set up and this quality has been demonstrated in the way the Warriors have played.  Finally, none of this would have happened without the work put in by our Chairman John Wrelton who really has put in the time and effort to take this team forward.  We must all look forward to the Somerset Cup and really come and support not only the team but the club as a whole.

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