Weston gave a disappointing display at Barnstaple, going down 28-7 to their Devon hosts.

BARNSTAPLE 28 pts

WESTON 7 pts

NEITHER side has been performing well this season, but on this occasion Barnstaple were rewarded with a valuable win.

Weston kicked off into the teeth of a gale and driving rain and despite playing the bulk of the game in their own half, turned around only 7-0 down at the interval.

Petheridge missed an easy penalty for Barum from 20 metres after only two minutes, and the visiting forwards, who had already shown to be stronger than their opponents, defended with little discomfort.

Barnstaple had been forced to replace prop forward Drew as early as the 10th minute as their pack struggled to compete, but they managed to score from a close-range scrum, when diminutive No 8 Lowrie was not wrapped up firmly enough in the tackle and was able to offload to a fellow back row forward who crossed from five metres, converted by Petheridge converted.

Perversely for Weston, the rain stopped and the wind abated on the resumption and a the home side managed to rumble over from a close range maul for a second converted try.

The visitors brought about their own downfall, trying to run the ball from deep, which gave the home side gratuitous loose possession, and from one such instance, a midfield tackle was missed and a try resulted under the sticks and comfort for Barum with only 15 minutes remaining.

Weston finally joined the game in the 70th minute when, from a series of close-range scrums, where the home side was constantly penalised, their forwards comfortably drove over from 10 metres for flanker Tom Crossman, on a welcome return following injury, to get the touchdown. Young converted.

They tried to repeat the operation two minutes later, but a series of messy line-outs and careless finishing yielded no further points and it was the home side that scored an opportunistic try at the death.

A speculative high ball was dropped inside the Weston half. A frantic kick and rush ensued and a Barum player was credited with the score under a pile of bodies to make the final score 28-7.

Weston had not played to their strengths against weaker forward opposition, and had got themselves involved in a match which was far more open than the conditions warranted.

Weston: R Bennett, M Watkins, E Maloney (O Caton), M Chisholm, S Edwards, C Young, H.Tuttiett, M Walker (D Crompton), C Withers, O Streeter, A Glen, A Russell (c), B Cox (T Crossman), S Eaton, C Gleason.

Weston are at home on Saturday against Old Centralians, kick-off 2.30pm.