Tribute

South West One West

Bridgwater

and Albion 35

Kingsbridge welcomed Bridgwater and Albion to High House for an early kick off on Saturday in the South West One (West) league.

A powerful second-half display from the visitors saw them run away with the victory that keeps Kingsbridge rooted in the relegation zone.

The visitors missed the first chance to open the scoring, in the second minute, as they missed a long-range penalty attempt after Kingswere caught offside on their 10-metre line.

Kingsbridge then stunned the visitors by crossing over for the first try of the game in the 17th minute.

After the forwards set up good possession in midfield just outside the Bridgwater 22, the ball was moved out to the backs where full-back George Banfield entered the back line to create the extra man and powered through a tight gap in the visitors’ defence to score wide out on the right to take the lead 5-0.

Bridgwater reduced the deficit to 5-3 on 27 minutes with a penalty and then scored a try from a five-metre catch-and-drive line-out, on 32 minutes, to move into a 5-8 lead.

Back came Kings­bridge again as they converted a penalty on 37 minutes to level the score at 8-8, which re­mained the score until the half-time interval.

Early in the second half the visitors pulled into the lead again, at 8-15, after Kingsbridge were deemed to have interfered at a Bridg­water five-metre scrum and the referee awarded a penalty try.

Kingsbridge found possession very hard to come by during the second half and spent most of the half soaking up pressure as the visitors used their superior physical presence to put the home defence under constant threat.

A close-range maul saw the visitors cross over for their third try after 20 minutes of the second half to extend their lead to 8-20 before they added their fourth try five minutes later as the hosts’ backline was stretched out wide after the Bridgwater forwards had set up camp near the Kingsbridge line.

The conversion of the fourth try saw the lead extended out to 8-27.

The visitors surprised everyone by slotting over a cheeky long-range drop goal to extend the lead further to 8-30 and a fifth try five minutes from time, from a five-metre scrum, saw that lead stretched out further to 8-35.

Kingsbridge were not helped by many decisions that went against them and a number of infringements that could easily have seen their penalty count in favour been slightly higher than just the two that they were awarded.

This was a tough day at the office for the Blue and Whites as they still try to battle in the new league, but perseverance is the key as they aim to get through this tough period.

This Saturday sees the 1st XV travel to face Okehampton in the second round of the Dev­on Cup.

Kings A XV will entertain Withy­combe seconds in the Merit Table at High House at 2.30pm while the Colts travel to face Launces­ton Colts in a friendly.

Meanwhile, Kings­bridge A XV travelled to face Exmouth thirds last Saturday, with 14 players due to late withdrawals.

Battling defiantly with the help of a player from the hosts, the Blue and Whites went down 35-15, their three tries coming from full-back Ollie Beattie (two) and winger TJ Lang.