Comfortable win over local rivals for Westbury RFC

WESTBURY returned to the league with a home fixture against old rivals Frome 2nds.

It took just ten minutes for the home team to break down the visitors’ defence for wing George Harford to score the opening try after receiving the ball inside the Frome 22 metre line. He took the opportunity well to touch down after being passed the ball from loose play with stand-off Sam Leat, converting.

15 minutes later, Leat, who it seems could do nothing wrong, scored a try of his own after he cleverly jinked his way around several defenders to touch down behind the posts. He then kicked the conversion. Within five minutes, Leat was at it again when he scored another try, which he duly converted. This made the score 21 – 0 to Westbury at the half-time whistle.

In the second half, Westbury were in the mood to score more tries, and it took just five minutes for scrum half Mat Inseal to touch the ball down after his forwards drove the Frome scrum back over their own try line. Leat once more kicked the conversion.

After another ten minutes, wing Josh Whitefield-Lott scored his first try of the season and Westbury’s fifth of the match. Up stepped Sam Leat for the conversion. The home side scored their sixth try after replacement lock, Tom Redman, was passed the ball out wide and, still with work to do, crashed over the line to touch down. Once more, Sam Leat added the extras.

Westbury were now leading 42 – 0 and still had 20 minutes to go.To their credit, Frome were always in the game and it was only stout defending by Westbury stopped them from scoring. Still, they persevered and on 26 minutes, they were awarded a penalty for a Westbury player tackling high. They gratefully accepted the three points on offer.

Boyed on by that score, the visitors launched attack after attack and five minutes before the end of the game they were rewarded with a try. The conversion was missed. The game finished with Westbury running out winners 42 – 8.

This was another good win, with all of Westbury’s players working hard and gaining confidence throughout the match.

Report by Paul Cozens.