Sat 18 Dec 2021, 14:30
CHARD RUGBY REPORT FOR SATURDAY 18thDECEMBER 2021
From Glyn Hughes
WESTERN COUNTIES WEST
CHARD 26PTS WADEBRIDGE 29PTS
Chard were beaten at home for the first time this season by table toppers Wadebridge but what a terrific game of rugby it was between two very good sides.
The crowd of 300 plus who turned up to watch 2ndplaced Chard take on the league leaders were treated to a great afternoon out.
Wadebridge always play very attacking attractive fifteen man rugby and they certainly looked a very dangerous outfit right from the kick off and went ahead with a delightful try after only five minutes play when their hooker Matt Ballard finished off a flowing move to score an unconverted try. 0-5
The Chard forwards have proved during the season to date that they are probably the best outfit in the league when it comes to loose play or a set piece and this was evident when they came back strongly and took the lead after twenty minutes play. Chard were awarded a penalty which was kicked to the corner and a delightful well rehearsed catch and drive move from the lineout that followed allowed Chard hooker Ben Robinson to go over in the left hand corner. Niall Crouch had no problems adding the conversion to take Chard into the lead 7-5
It really was a very entertaining game but from Chards point of view the one weakness in the opening half was their inability to find touch at crucial times and Wadebridge were a very good counter attacking side and regained a lot of ground as a result of this wayward kicking and really tested the Chard defensive tackling.
Two tries in the final quarter before half time put Wadebridge clearly ahead. Firstly they were awarded an easily kickable penalty well inside the Chard 22 area but seemed to suggest from their positioning that they would kick for touch but their very good fly half Danny Thomas tapped the ball quickly and dummied his way over under the posts for a try which he converted himself. 7-12
With a few minutes to go before half time Chard were left flat footed as another good move resulted in try number three with Hooker Ballard getting his second try. Thomas converted and Chard were behind 7-19 at the break.
A few missed tackles and failure to find touch had given opportunities to Wadebridge who were too good a team to miss out .
In the second half it was crucial that Chard kept in the game by getting the next score and it came when good ground was made early on and several scrums were awarded in their favour. They drove the visitors back over their own line and scrum half Ross Colenso got the straight forward touch down. Crouch converted to make the score 14-19
The one really weak link in the Wadebridge play was their inability to cope with the Chard forwards in a set piece and the home
front three of Robinson, Dave Biss and skipper Luke Aplin gave them a really torrid time throughout the match. There was no way the visitors would be able to stop the Chard eight any where near their own line and this was area that Chard would exploit well.
Another series of scrums midway through the half put Wadebridge under enormous pressure and the inevitable happened when following a number of misdemeanours close to their own line Wadebridge gave the referee no option but to award a penalty try. 21-19
Wadebridge got in front again when they changed tactics and opted to kick to goal from a penalty rather than attempting to score a try and Thomas made no mistake. 19-22
The visitors increased their lead when their man of the match Thomas wriggled his way over . His conversion attempt was charged down by Chard but the referee adjudged that Chard had gone too early and allowed him to take the kick again which he successfully converted. 21-29
Straight from the restart Wadebridge were forced to defend desperately and the referee could easily have awarded another penalty try which would have put Chard within a point of victory but he issued several penalties instead and in the dying seconds Colenso got his second touch down which although not converted gave Chard two points for scoring four tries and getting a losing point for being within seven points.
These two points were no more than Chard deserved and kept them in second place .
Congratulations to both sides for a great game.
Hats off to the staff at the club who provided all players and officials with a full Christmas dinner in the club afterwards.
Chard have a break from league rugby now over the festive season and their next game is away at Bideford on 8th January.
However the club Vets team are due to play on Boxing day at home against Crewkerne ko 1pm.
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