HORNETS got their cup campaign in the Somerset Vase underway with an emphatic win over Tor and scored 11 tries in the process.

HORNETS got their cup campaign in the Somerset Vase underway with an emphatic win over Tor and scored 11 tries in the process.

The game started brightly, with Hornets going on the attack and driving the first maul over 25 metres. This forward dominance early on led to the first score as quick ball was released from a ruck for Stu Vinnicombe to run an excellent line off Harry Simmons to go under the posts untouched. Sam Lloyd-Jones was successful with the conversion.

Not to be outdone, Tor mounted their own attacks and profited from a majority of possession for the next 10 minutes and their pressure paid off when their winger crossed for a converted try to bring the scores level.

Having lost No 8 Matt Parker to a knee injury, his replacement Chris Disney came on and made several of his trademark drives.

It was from a driving maul which saw Hornets get within 10 metres of the Tor line that Phil Hogarth peeled off the back and charged over for a try.

The visitors managed to keep in touch with a penalty which took the score to 12-10. Lloyd-Jones was then unsuccessful with a penalty goal and Neil Chenoweth crossed the whitewash but had his effort disallowed. However, with two minutes of the half remaining, Harry Nash crashed over for a try to give Hornets a 17-10 lead.

After the break, Hornets exploded out of the gates with four tries in 10 minutes. The first came two minutes into the half, Disney scored after some fine handling. Directly from the restart the ball was claimed by Hogarth who ran through the Tor pack, he then linked well with his support, before Hogarth received the ball again and went over for his second try. Lloyd-Jones converted both tries.

At this point, Hornets made changes with Tom Bradley replacing Bobby Hewlett, Harry Nash and Jake Fereday making way for Chris Francis and Ross Cheeseborough. Shortly after, Sean Disney finished some excellent play to score out wide. From the restart, Hornets gathered the ball and Hogarth was stopped inches from the line.

Tor missed touch from a penalty and Hornets ran straight back at them with backs and forwards interlinking for Johnny Mitchell to go over for a well-deserved try. The conversion attempt from Lloyd-Jones rebounded back off the post so the score was left at 41-10.

Tor pulled a score back after a series of mistakes. The home team again looked to the bench with Mark Sheridan coming on in place of Lloyd-Jones. Hornets hit right back with a fantastic solo effort from Tom Bradley who ran in from halfway to score under the posts and then converted his effort.

The resultant kick-off was caught by Chris Francis who rampaged 40 yards up field before offloading to Disney, who passed to Harry Simmons before he released Adam Vaughan to score. Bradley missed the extras and Hornets lead was now 53-17 and they chose to make their final two changes as Ryan Hedges and Matt Vaughan joined the fray in place of Phil Hogarth and John Ferguson.

With 15 minutes left, Hornets continued to attack and were unfortunate not to add to the score until Sean Disney crossed for his second try following excellent interplay between him and Vaughan.

Hornets’ final score came when a line-out was caught and driven up to the line. From here Disney popped an inside pass to prop Hedges who crashed through the defence to score.

Tor did manage a consolation try which was converted with the last play of the game due to some sloppy defending.

Saturday sees a return to league rugby where Hornets travel up to Bristol to take on Imperial, kick-off 2.30pm.