Tribute South West 1 – West
North Petherton 6 – Thornbury 38
Saturday 16th January 2016
Report By Simon Freeman
A comprehensive performance from the visitors who are positioned second in the league. Thornbury played with confidence throughout and looked dangerous throughout. Petherton battled continuously and didn’t play badly, they just didn’t play well enough for any length of time.
Captains comments (Damian Griffin) we just could not compete with the pace and physicality of Thornbury, I think they were the best team we’ve played this season though all there tries came from turnovers off our mistakes. We took too long to play any kind of rugby and by then it was too late! We lost due to our own frustration really, the more the game went on the more angry we got with ourselves and mistakes kept happening more regularly! Was another Wake up call to the lads which showed that’s what’s going to happen if we don’t train all together! We have a very hard game next week a long way away which we will all be glad to get over and done with but still have to travel there with a positive attitude!
The early stages belonged to the visitors who regularly made breaks from midfield and always seemed to have a man on hand to secure ball or make a decisive pass. Pethy had to rely on last ditch tackles which could only last for so long. Thornbury took the lead with a converted try.
Pethy bounced back and did have opportunities, they moved the ball along back line but came up just short. The forwards worked hard but lacked the cohesion to strive the extra few yards. The only reward the home team gained was a Harry Roberts penalty! Pethy looked to have secured another good position but in a blink of an eye an error occurred and Thornbury had gone three quarters the length of the field for a breakaway try.
In the 35th minute the score read 3-12 but by half time the lively visitors had extended the lead to 3-26! Both tries involved some good handling and the first of the two was another fine counter attack!
Pethy started the second half with some strong tackling but this never really unsettled Thornbury who generally looked in control and skilfully played their way around the field. The home team still created chances and on a couple of occasions only the bounce of the ball prevented scores.
The visitors scored two more tries to reflect the control they had, for Pethy it is back to the hard work in training and now recognising the position they are in.
