Sat 5 Mar 2022, 14:30
WESTERN COUNTIES WEST
CHARD 34pts NEWTON ABBOT 36PTS
From Glyn Hughes
Another very good game for all the supporters from both sides who were at the match but the real excitement for the home fans came in the second half when their team came back strongly and really should have won but events in the last quarter did not go their way!
Chard had six changes from the team that had won the corresponding match in Devon earlier in the season. None of the players on the injury list have yet recovered and with Ben Fenton also being unavailable Chard gave debuts to Jack Mills and Aaron Chapman both of whom acquitted themselves well.
Chard actually opened the scoring in the first minute of the match. The visitors were penalised in front of the posts but Chard chose to kick to the corner and from the resultant lineout former skipper Ryan Helliar won clean possession from which the forwards drove over the line with hooker Ben Robinson getting the touch down. Niall crouch added the conversion from the touchline and Chard were on their way. 7-0
Any thoughts that this early score would be a sign of things to come were soon dispelled as the very dangerous and fast running Newton Abbot backs scored a fine try with their classy fullback Corey Wayne carving his way through the Chard defence. Josh Davey converted to level the scores. 7-7
In the next 15 minutes the visitors added a further three tries with Corey getting his second and one of the others coming from hooker Charlie Dore. Davey only failed with one conversion but with only half an hour played Newton Abbot led by a seemingly match winning score of 7-26.
Although Chard had conceded four tries very early on they were playing their part in very good game and they came back very strongly in the final ten minutes of the half. The visitors forwards were really struggling in the set scrums and were beginning to wilt and shortly before the break they were shoved powerfully back over their own line and Ross Colenso had the simple task of touching down for Chards second try again converted by Crouch which made the half time score 14-26.
Chard would certainly be right back in the mix if they could reduce the deficit early in the second half and this they did with some more splendid work from their pack with Robinson scoring an unconverted try. 19-26...GAME ON!
Davey and Crouch swopped penalties in the following ten minutes or so to keep the gap to 7pts with the score now standing at 22-29.
The last thing the visitors wanted was to have to defend a scrum close to their own line but sure enough they had to and after several indiscretions the referee correctly awarded a penalty try but surprisingly did not show anyone a yellow card for the offence. 29-29
Soon after the restart and with the scores now level Helliar was penalised for a late tackle on a visiting player who had kicked the ball down field and a penalty was rightly awarded from where the ball finished up and not where the offence occurred. Chard were now under real pressure and from the plays that followed they appeared to have held the ball up behind their own line but after much thought the try was awarded by the referee and with the conversion successful Newton Abbot had moved into a 29-36 lead. This lead was soon reduced after some more superb work by the forwards with Colenso again being the beneficiary of their excellent work. Chard were now well on top and surely favourites to get the win.
The visitors were offered a real lifeline when injuries to their front row players meant that in the last ten minutes scrums were uncontested and this was a tremendous advantage to them even though they had to now play with 14. Rules are rules and player safety is paramount but certainly some of those watching were soon debating whether or not this was a clever move by the Devon side!
How could anyone think that!
In the final analysis this did not matter one bit because Chard were awarded two late penalties either of which would have won them the game but unfortunately they both narrowly missed the target and Newton Abbot held on to win a pulsating game between two very good teams. Chard took two bonus points from the game.
Next Saturday Chard are away at Paignton kicking off at 2 30pm. Any spectators travelling to the game will find the ground easy to find as it is within sight of the bus and train station in the middle of town
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