Warriors begin their league campaign with a Win at home

A crowd of about 150 spectators were treated to a six try bonanza by a very slick and pacey Taunton ll XV.  After only 2 minutes centre Henry Webb sliced through the Minehead defence to touch down for a try.  Sam Baker who had a superb afternoon with the boot duly converted to make the score 7 points to 0.  Taunton seemed to dominate possession and Minehead only got the ball from mistakes by Taunton however with possession they did look threatening especially when they moved the ball wide.  It was some excellent tackling by both wings Jack Connor and Tom Stuart which prevented Minehead breaking the Taunton Defence.  Minehead’s only reward was a penalty on 11 minutes taking the score to 7 points to 3.  Shortly after this Taunton’s other centre Ben Fenton went in for a try which Sam Baker duly converted to take the score to 14 points to 3.  Taunton then carried on trying to dominate possession until on 37 minutes they gave away a penalty to Minehead which was duly converted to take the score to 14 points to 6. This seemed to give Minehead some impetus when on the stroke of half-time they were rewarded with a try from a rolling maul which was converted to leave the half-time score Taunton 14 Minehead 13.  After the break Minehead were very soon on the scoresheet again as from another rolling maul they went over for their second try which was converted, for the first time in the match, Minehead went into the lead 14 points to 20.  Taunton then showed patience spinning the ball wide and really moving the Minehead team around the park  They had several opportunities but knock-on’s or in one case a forward pass denied them of further scores it was not until the 58th minute that after several drives at the line the ball was spun wide for prop Alex Rodd to gather and using his superior pace, he rounded the opposition centre to score under the posts which Sam Baker duly converted to give the lead back to Taunton 21 points to 20.  2 minutes later we then probably saw the try of the game from scrum half Ben Alvis who took the ball from a lineout and broke up the blind side.  His side steps and his pace then took him half of the pitch to score an outstanding individual try which Sam Baker again converted giving Taunton an eight-point lead.  Just 4 minutes later that lead was extended even further when fly-half Neil Crouch took a pass in space and out-paced the opposition to the line.  Again, Sam Baker converted giving Taunton a 15-point lead.  With the last move of the match Tom Stuart was rewarded with a well earned try when from a kick through he collected and scored in the corner.  The kick was missed leaving Taunton the winners by 40 points to 20.  Fitness and pace were the winner in this game and great credit must go to the coaching team for a thoroughly entertaining game.

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