Thurs. 21st Feb. Dorset & Wilts Div 2 North Melksham 2nds 12 Westbury 36
With this game having already been postponed twice, Westbury took the gamble and offered to transfer the match to Melksham and play an evening fixture under floodlights.
Thanks must be given to the many Westbury Supporters who turned up in numbers to cheer the side on and to help make it feel like playing at home in Westbury. Whether it was the occasion, or not being used to playing under the lights, Westbury did not start well and allowed the ball to bounce into touch from the kick off. Westbury failed to clear their lines and were soon forced into giving away a penalty inside the 22 metre area. Melksham chose a scrum and moved the ball wide to the left and scored in the corner. 2 minutes in and Westbury were 5 – 0 down.
Westbury dusted themselves down and came out determined to put the deficit to rights. After 10 minutes, outside centre Dan Heatley, broke through the Melksham defensive line and scored a brilliant individual try which captain Aaron Vaughan converted.
It took another 7 minutes for Westbury to score again. This time, inside centre Lee McClerg worked the ball wide after powering up the middle of the park. The ball was then passed back along the line to Lee for him to score under the posts. Vaughan once more kicked the conversion.
Dan Heatley added his second try in the last minute of the half with a solo run from just outside his own 22, breaking tackles to score under the posts. Again skipper Vaughan added the conversion. Westbury were leading 21 – 5 at half time.
Westbury’s fourth and bonus point try came from a scrum which was awarded to Melksham deep in their own half. The Westbury forwards drove Melksham backwards. Westbury’s number 8 Tom Redman picked up and reached for the try line but was just short. From the resulting ruck, hooker Jack Bates went over. Aaron Vaughan added the extras.
Melksham fought back hard and 20 minutes into the half were rewarded with a fine try after the ball was passed out wide and around the Westbury defenders to score in the corner. This left the Melksham number 10 with a difficult kick for the conversion but he executed it perfectly. 28 – 12 to the White Horse Men.
During an attack into the Melksham 22 area, one of the defenders deliberately knocked the ball on to earn Westbury a penalty. Aaron Vaughan gratefully accepted the 3 points. Westbury’s final try came from a display from the trio of Sam McQueen, Lee McClerg and Jamie Dixon who received the final pass to score. The conversion was missed.
Westbury won 36 – 12, scoring 5 tries to 2. They had to work hard for the win and Melksham always looked dangerous and likely to score, only tireless defence by Westbury’s players kept them out.
This result promotes Westbury to second place in the league, just one point above Marlborough whom they will play later in the season. Westbury’s next league fixture will be on 2nd March when they welcome Devizes 2nds to Knott Field.
Westbury on top in nine-try thriller
Sat. 16th Feb. Swindon 2nds 24 Westbury 38
Westbury travelled to play Swindon 2nds and came away winners in a 9-try thriller to keep them in 3rd place in the league, only 4 points behind the 2nd placed team and with a game in hand.
Westbury started well and after 7 minutes opened the scoring when wing Koro Sitiveni set up a ruck from which hooker Jack Bates was able to barrel his way over the try line. Stand-off Aaron Vaughan was unable to covert the extra points.
Westbury’s 2nd try was scored in a brilliant move by centre Sam McQueen who, with Westbury under pressure in their own 22, danced his way toward the halfway line and passed the ball to wing Jamie Dixon who offloaded to the supporting McQueen for him to complete the try. Aaron Vaughan added the conversion.
Swindon fought back hard and was rewarded with a try a few minutes later. Not converted. 20 minutes into the half Westbury were awarded a penalty after a Swindon player played the ball when off his feet. Vaughan duly added the 3 points. Swindon went all out in attack and in the last minute of the half were awarded a scrum just outside Westbury’s 22. The Swindon number 8 picked up the ball and charged up the blindside, passing to his wing for him to score in the corner. With a great kick the number 10 added the conversion. 15 – 12 to Westbury at the break and match quite evenly poised.
At the restart, with Westbury failing to control the ball, it took only 43 seconds for Swindon to capitalise with a try and conversion to take the lead 19 – 15.
This had the effect of making Westbury ‘wake up’ and it took only 3 minutes for them to retake the lead when their Fijian wing, Koro Sitiveni, crashed over to score in the corner. 19 – 20 to the visitors and the game could still go either way. Skipper Vaughan then eased the scoreline with a well-struck penalty.
Once more, Swindon fought back to snatch the lead with an unconverted try in the corner. Westbury now had to dig deep and winger Jamie Dixon scored his first of a brace of tries, when he scored in the corner after a fine handling movement. Once more Vaughan kicked the extra points, 30 – 24 to Westbury. The Westbury skipper then added a penalty.
Jamie Dixon settled the game with 4 minutes to go by scoring the second of his 2 tries. The conversion was missed, but Westbury held on to win 38 – 24.
