HAVING never won on their previous three visits to Sonning, Weston may have been hoping for better things, but it was not to be.

Redingensians 19 pts

Weston 7 pts

HAVING never won on their previous three visits to Sonning, Weston may have been hoping for better things, but it was not to be.

They were ahead by a single point just before the interval but the lead lasted barely a minute before home fly-half Michael Chandler kicked his third penalty.

The hosts led by 9-7 at the break and they never looked like being overtaken, and in the fourth minute of the second half they more or less sealed matters with Craig Clement’s try.

Fellow wing Joao Costa scored his team’s second try in stoppage time following full-back Jevon Marsh’s evasion of several would-be tacklers.

Skipper George Sparks and his pack had battled to the end, aided by another outstanding performance by flanker George Wright. But the midfield functioned only once when Paul O’Connor ducked under a head high tackle to give Paul Sprague a 28th minute try at the left corner.

James Mackay converted from the touchline but the Seasiders never looked like scoring again, even in the final moments when two penalty scrums failed to produce the try which would have secured a losing bonus point.

Weston: J Reid, S Bennett, P O’Connor, D Swartbooi, P Sprague, J Mackay, R Bennett (L Hember 70), E Hunt, D Burge, S Donegan (sin bin 23) (L Grimes 70), A Glen, A Russell, G Wright, J Rudkin (L Grimes 22-33), G Sparks (capt).

This was a disappointing result for the Seasiders, and especially for their new centre Dewey Swartbooi. The service to him was generally poor resulting in him being unable to show his attacking skills. However, his defence was outstanding.

Weston now have two successive home matches and they will need to sharpen up their fitness and handling for Saturday’s match against lowly Coney Hill.

In the final home match before the Christmas break, they host Exmouth on December 11th. Both matches kick off at 2.30pm.