Sat. 9th Nov. Dorset & Wilts Div 2 North Swindon Supermarine 17 Westbury 37
Once again, in the first half Westbury made hard work of this fixture. The game was played at Swindon in pouring rain which made ball handling difficult, plus the pitch itself was like a sponge which did not help the speedsters of Westbury’s back line.
The game started well enough with Westbury kicking off, immediately pressurizing the Supermarine defenders and winning a penalty after 2 minutes for being off side at a ruck. Sam McQueen, who was deputising for injured Aaron Vaughan at standoff, stepped up to kick the penalty. Three points to Westbury and all looking good. That was until Westbury thought that today would be the day for long passes and speculative kicks.
Supermarine soon cottoned on and with their forwards exerting pressure on the Westbury backs and some excellent positional kicking from the number 10, Westbury soon found themselves having to try to defend their try line. Twice Westbury were forced into giving away penalties, conceding territory, whilst scrabbling to defend against a lively Supermarine back line, who then crossed the line for two tries but converting one. Supermarine’s third try came when their backs tore through the Westbury defenders, who gave the appearance of being stood in a pot of glue and unable to get to the ball carrier. This try was not converted.
Five minutes left of the half and Westbury were 17 – 3 down. Luckily with minutes to go the visitors started to play to their strengths with the forwards driving up field and giving short ‘pop’ passes. This strategy worked and just before the halfway break, hooker Jack Bates was able to charge through from 5 metres out to touch down. McQueen converted the try. The referee blew for half time with Westbury 17 – 10 down.
With the restart, Westbury realised the error of their ways and continued to keep the ball close in the forwards, managing to work their way to the opposition 5 metre line. Desperate to keep Westbury out, the Supermarine forwards were caught entering a maul from the side. Westbury, now feeling that their forwards were starting to dominate their opposite numbers, opted for a 5-metre scrum. Number 8, Will Dennett, picked up and drove for the line, he was stopped short but from the ensuing ruck, lock forward, Tom Redman, picked up the ball and dived over the try line to score. The conversion was missed. 17 – 15 to Supermarine.
Once more the Westbury forwards carried well into the home territory and forced another penalty when the opposition were guilty of playing the ball on the floor. Sam McQueen confidently claimed the ball to kick a difficult penalty. McQueen succeeded with the kick, which took Westbury into the lead for the first time. 17 – 18.
The final 20 minutes, with the rain easing and the Westbury forwards now able to supply the backs with reasonable ball, we saw standoff McQueen start to boss the game and with pin point positional kicks, plus brilliant ball play amongst the Westbury backs, Westbury’s speed merchant, Jamie Dixon, scored 3 spectacular tries; the opposition were hardly able to lay a hand on him. McQueen converted two of the tries, giving a final score of Supermarine 17 – Westbury 37.
When Westbury ‘switched on’, altering their game plan to work to their strengths and use the elements they became unstoppable, completely shutting out the opposition for the whole of the second half. Westbury are now unbeaten in both League and Cup this season.
