Unbeaten league leaders London Irish Wild Geese were beaten 25-17 by Weston at the Recreation Ground.

WESTON 25 pts

LONDON IRISH WILD GEESE 17 pts

A SUPERB display by Weston gave them a well-deserved victory over London Irish Wild Geese at the Recreation Ground.

The league leaders were defeated by three tries to two and it was Gavin Simpson’s pack which paved the way.

At scrum, line-out and in the loose the Seasiders’ front eight were superior, especially in the second half when the chips were really down.

With five minutes of normal time remaining, James Mackay’s penalty sent them into the lead for the third time and the fly-half’s break down the left touchline eventually resulted in the clinching score by replacement Paul Morrissey.

Earlier, Mackay’s penalty had given Weston the advantage, and in the 20th minute, scrum-half Dan Waldon’s heavy tackle gave Sylvan Edwards the chance to run 25 metres to the posts.

Mackay converted for 10-0, but the Irish responded with a try from full-back Matt Betty. Fly-half Ed Keohane converted and 10 minutes later he was adding the extras to a try by wing Conor Quinn to give them a four point lead. But Weston were in front again at the interval.

When the Irish carried the ball into their 22 they were brought back and then the hosts won the resultant line-out, several picks and go resulted in a try for George Sparks, with Mackay’s conversion taking them into the interval at 17-14.

The visitors replied in the fourth minute of the second half with Keohane’s penalty to level matters, but from then on it was mostly Weston.

The visitors won their fair share of possession, but Weston’s backs defended accurately and the back row trio which finished the match, Sparks, Morrissey and Kevin Hobbs were everywhere that they should have been and in the 75th minute, Mackay’s 25 metre penalty gave them a three point lead.

But the match was still not over and more persistent defending by Edwards, Sam Smee and co in midfield went a long way to preserving Weston’s advantage.

Then came Mackay’s splendid run and after David Burge had gone close, Morrissey’s coup-de-grace from a pushover finished things off.

Weston: R Bennett, M Oupoh (L Blizzard 59), S Smee, S Edwards, M Watkins, J Mackay, D Waldon, D Swann (S Donegan 22), D Burge, P Hobbs (D Swann 53), H Somers (P Morrissey 35), A Russell (H Somers 51), G Sparks, K Hobbs, G Simpson (c) (A Russell 73).

It was a pity that Gavin Simpson was forced to retire in the 73rd minute with a knee injury but by then, leading from the front, the skipper had produced an outstanding performance at No 8.

But this was a whole team effort and they can now look forward to their match at Maidenhead on Saturday and their Somerset Cup encounter at Bridgwater on the 22nd and 23rd of this month.