WESTON 15 pts TAUNTON 8 pts - GLENN Dickson kicked five penalties from six attempts and, together with a battling performance by George Sparks and his pack, Taunton were defeated in a stirring Somerset Cup final at Bridgwater.

WESTON 15 pts

TAUNTON 8 pts

GLENN Dickson kicked five penalties from six attempts and, together with a battling performance by George Sparks and his pack, Taunton were defeated in a stirring Somerset Cup final at Bridgwater.

Taunton held most of the territory, but when the Seasiders made the occasional visit, the league champions offended under pressure and were punished.

In the second minute Dickson obliged from 48 metres and Sam Saunders replied in kind. But after the Taunton centre had struck a post, Weston were suddenly aware of the let-off.

For the next 10 minutes Taunton were on the back foot and during that time, Dickson took the score to 12-3 with penalties from 25, 52 and 50 metres.

Weston were down to 14 players when Ed Smith was yellow carded and Taunton swarmed to the line, but superb scavenging enabled Dickson and James Mackay to launch 50-metre kicks out of defence.

Taunton started the second half well and Sparks' tackle on Charles Walker-Blair was crucial. The return of Smith was greeted with seven pick-and-drives, the penultimate of which by Stuart Board earned Weston another penalty.

Dickson's fifth goal duly arrived for a 15-3 scoreline, but Taunton were looking ominous. However, their line-out continued to fail when it mattered most, mainly due to poor throwing-in.

As the match drew to a close, Taunton scored a good corner try, but the Seasiders held out through 11 minutes of time added.

Weston: N Trevena; K Middlemiss (C Young 77), S Bennett, J Mackay, P Sprague; G Dickson, J Conway; D Price (S Donegan 71), D Burge, S Williams, A Richards, S Board, E Smith (sinbin 31) (D Fry 82), G Wright (G Simpson 38), G Sparks (capt).

Replacements not used: J Reid, C Withers.

THIS was another splendid performance by the Seasiders who lifted the cup for the eighth time from the 13 finals in which they have appeared since 1974.

The pack was magnificent everywhere and this was backed up by the midfield defence of Dickson, Sean Bennett and Mackay which, until the 81st minute, had taken all that Taunton could throw at them.

WESTON hooker David Burge made his 200th first team appearance in last Sunday's Somerset Cup final against Taunton at Bridgwater.

Weston-born Burge (29) was educated at Churchill School and started his club career with the Under-8s mini squad.

Proceeding through the age groups to the Colts, he eventually made is senior debut as a replacement at North Walsham in April, 1999, making his first start a week later at Stroud.

Burge, who was club captain for three successive seasons between 2005 and 2008, has scored 38 tries, and is the first Mini to be awarded a first team cap.

Imperial 16 pts

Weston Utd 10 pts

AS intimated in last weeks match report a week is along time in the United and so it proved at Imperial where only six of the previous weeks starting line up began against second placed Imperial.

Weston started superbly with the pack well up for the fight and the half backs Ross Bennett and the evergreen Neil Coleman running the show. Weston took the lead with a well taken penalty by Coleman followed by a superb try finished off by full back Chris Hurd.

With Imperial rattled it looked as though Weston might spring a surprise, but for all their early effort Imperial gradually got back into the game and with fitness beginning to tell, the hosts controlled the second half for the majority of the time and just about deserved their victory.

Weston Athletic 27 pts

Minehead II 15 pts

WESTON'S teenage half-backs played a major part in this impressive win over a bulky Minehead team at the Recreation Ground.

Dan Prime netted 17 points and his partner Darran Burns had a big hand in two of his team's three tries.

Prime converted his own try when he dived over from short range in the fourth minute, but the visitors were ahead by the 27th, Dave Farmer having dropped two goals and added a penalty.

Prime reduced the arrears before the interval with the first of his penalties, but Weston were soon in the lead they were never to lose.

Burns' well-timed flat pass sent David Steele in at the posts, Prime converting and between the 64th and 68th minutes, Prime and Farmer exchanged penalties.

The score was now close at 20-15, but Weston had the final word when replacement Paul Cullum successfully chased Burns' accurate grubber kick and Prime converted.

In addition to Prime (18) and 17-year-old Burns, there were good performances by Michael Leahy and Rich Bishop.