With unavailable players and injuries the match away at league leaders Avonvale was always going to be difficult.
With only 16 players coach, Chris Bush had no choice but to play some of the players out of their normal positions with several forwards having to play in the backs. The result was that in the first half the Vale were able to get off to an early score with the visitors looking mesmerised.
Compounded by missed tackles, dropped passes and poor player positioning, this was to be the story of the 1st half with Avonvale having a try fest and running in six tries. With a score line of 36 – 0 it was a half that Westbury would wish to forget.
At half time, to be fair, the Westbury players were the first to admit their errors and with captain, Nigel Kershaw leading by example the second half turned out to be much better for the visitors. Westbury started to play to their strengths and using the forwards, they were able to dominate the set piece scrums and all of Westbury’s points came from good scrummaging. First, a push over try for No 8, Chris Gillam and three tries for Nigel Kershaw, once more standing in at scrum half and sniping at the back of the scrums, with standoff Aaron Vaughan adding three conversions.
Avonvale were still always looking dangerous and they were able to add three more tries of their own. The second half was much better for Westbury who outscored the home side and earned themselves a try bonus point. Although giving the Vale a 36 points start in the first half was to decide the match 55 – 26 to Avonvale.
