Sat 4 Dec 2021, 14:30
CHARD RUGBY REPORT FOR SATURDAY 4tH DECEMBER 2021 from Glyn Hughes
WESTERN COUNTIES WEST
CHARD 26PTS TEIGNMOUTH 22PTS
Chard stretched their unbeaten run to eight games with this seemingly narrow victory against their Devon rivals.
Chard were actually fairly comfortably ahead with less than 15 minutes to go but you just can not take liberties against any teams in this division especially good teams like Teignmouth and Chard nearly paid the penalty for poor game management during this period.
Another good crowd of 200 plus had turned up for the game on a pitch that is still in very good condition.
Chard were still missing several players in their squad but Dan Goetz returned to the starting line up and Jason Wright came into the back row for his first game of the season. The versatile Dylan Moss moved in from the wing to take over at scrum half.
The visitors could easily have taken an early lead when they charged down an attempted clearance kick but a mistake of their own followed and Chard had got away with it.
They did however take the lead soon afterwards when centre Jack Mayne kicked a penalty. 0-3
After 10 minutes Chard took the lead. Following a penalty to the corner Chard won the resultant lineout, spun the ball out wide and Billy Brooks scored a terrific try in the left hand corner. Niall crouch who continues to have an excellent season with the boot converted the try. 7-3
A fairly even battle between two useful teams turned in Chard’s favour midway through the half when for the second week running Crouch intercepted a wayward pass and ran through to score and convert a try under the posts. 14-3
Moss suffered an injury to his hand which was affecting his ability to pass so he came off and Ben Thomas moved from centre to take on the number 9 role .
Ben Fenton was somewhat unfortunate to get a yellow card just before the turnaround but the well organised Chard defensive wall had performed superbly throughout the half and had managed to keep out the hard running Teignmouth backs.
Half time Chard 14pts Teignmouth 3pts.
Chard started the second half well despite still being a player short.
Full back Emile Szydelko who looks really dangerous when ever he has a chance to counter attack added a fine third try which was again converted by Crouch . 21-3
Teignmouth hit back when they broke through and scored under the posts with Jake Alsion scoring and Mayne getting the extras . 21-10
The Chard forwards were very dominant in the set scrum but struggled to win much ball in the lineout.
Midway through the half Chard scored a well worked 4th try to secure a bonus point when having sucked in the visitors defence a lovely kick to the corner allowed Brooks to touch down for his second try of the game. Brooks had played well through out and his superb defensive play often stopped the visitors in their tracks.
A comfortable win for Chard now looked on the cards but you can’t mess with good sides and two late tries from the visitors plus one conversion gave them a deserved losing bonus point and put them within 4 pts with still five minutes to play. If Mayne had nailed a difficult conversion of the second try Teignmouth would have just needed a penalty goal for an unlikely victory which would certainly have been on the cards knowing Chards record of conceding them!!
Despite this a very good win for Chard who travel to Tiverton next Saturday and then in their last game before the festive break face unbeaten Wadebridge at home on the 18th December
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