Tribute South West 1W

Matson 12, Bridgwater & Albion 27

BRIDGWATER racked up their fifth successive league victory with a triumph at struggling Matson on Saturday, writes Tony Pomeroy.

The visitors collected a bonus point en route, courtesy of tries from Rob Allen, Garryn Basson, Oscar Tregenna, Taylor Buller and Roger Drabble, while Chris Ashwin added one conversion.

Bridgwater, playing up the hill, dominated the opening period and patient recycling deprived the home side of even a touch of the ball.

Eventually, after only three minutes, the ball was moved left where winger Rob Allen applied the coup de gras with a try in the corner. Chris Ashwin could not convert.

It was fully eight minutes before the home side had the ball in hand but Bridgwater then defended stoutly.

When Bridgwater won a defensive scrum against the head, the ball was kicked away loosely and gathered by home full back Vincenso Lanciano.

He ran hard at the visiting defence before passing to left wing Ryan Woodhouse who scored in the corner. Connor Gwilliam converted with a superb kick to put his side in the lead.

Matson continued to press from the kick-off and a very loose Bridgwater pass was intercepted by scrum half Farrell Gwilliam who kicked ahead and won the touchdown for Matson’s second try. The conversion from the other touchline hit the far post.

The final score of the half came just after Ashwin lost a tooth following a tremendous tackle. Ashwin knocked-on in that tackle but Bridgwater won the scrum against the head on the home 22.

Number eight Taylor Buller picked up and drew the defence before passing to winger Garryn Basson, who scored in the corner. Ashwin converted with a superb kick to make the half-time score 12-12.

Bridgwater introduced Oscar Tregenna on the wing for Basson after 58 minutes and his first touch gave him a try.

Full-back James Martin, who had caught everything Matson kicked at him, ran another loose kick back at the home defence before giving a scoring pass to Tregenna. Ashwin’s conversion from the touchline hit the post.

Bridgwater attacked and, when awarded a penalty only five metres out, opted for the scrummage. The inevitable result was an unconverted pushover try credited to Buller.

Roger Drabble had shown immense skill in making a couple of diving catches from Matson kicks and, with the last move of the game, got his reward.

One of his catches that looked more at home on the cricket field, set up a Bridgwater attack and, after patient recycling close to the home line, scrum-half Drabble spotted a gap and dived over for the fifth try – unconverted – for Bridgwater and a final score of 12-27.

North Petherton’s defeat at Ivybridge and Camborne’s failure to gain a bonus point mean that Bridgwater leap over Pethy in the league to fourth place and are one point closer to third-placed Camborne.

l Saturday’s match, when Camborne visit Bridgwater, should be a classic. It will kick off at 3pm.