THE Cricklade match was a special event for the club as veteran player, Lee Adams, had dusted off his boots to play alongside his two sons, Ferran and Hayden.
This is the first time in the club’s history that a father and his sons have played in a league fixture for the club.
The start of the match did not go too well for the visiting Westbury team. They seemed to struggle to string their moves together, with dropped passes and turn over ball causing any promising moves to break down. To make matters worse, after 20 minutes a speculative pass was intercepted by a Cricklade defender who was able to score the first try of the match which was then converted.
Westbury slowly managed to get into the game and were rewarded when from a penalty, Aaron Vaughan kicked to touch, deep in the Cricklade 22. From the resulting lineout Westbury drove hard for the try line, for flanker Reece Ball to score. Vaughan was successful with the conversion. All square at half time and Westbury still not really firing on all cylinders.
During the half time break, Westbury coach ‘Foggy’ Vaughan had a few sharp words to say, giving the players plenty to think on.
This ‘chat’ seemed to have the desired affect and Westbury started the half with renewed vigour. They were soon rewarded with a try, for replacement winger Paul Clark who received the ball after it was moved across the pitch from right to left after a lineout. A difficult kick for Aaron Vaughan, but he executed it perfectly to add the conversion. With the Westbury team now starting to click, the forwards took a scrummage ball against the head, set up a ruck and then the ball was passed to centre Dan Heatley for him to score. Once more Vaughan kicked the extras 21 – 7 to Westbury and the visitors now in the driving seat. 4 minutes later Matt Inseal took the ball inside his own 22 metres area and set off up field. He made it to the opposition 22 where he was eventually caught by the defenders and tackled. Inseal cleverly off loaded the ball to the ever supportive Heatley, who then passed to replacement full back Sam McQueen who scored. Vaughan again kicked the conversion.
The final score came from replacement back row Darren Fuller, when from a scrum close to the Cricklade try line, Westbury won the ball and No 8 Ferran Adams drove for the line and then worked the ball to his colleague Fuller, who crashed over the line. 2 more points were added by Vaughan from the conversion.
The match ended with Westbury scoring 5 tries, Vaughan kicking 5 conversions and all in all, a much better second half in which the Adams family were able to play their part.
