WESTON 13 pts OLD PATESIANS 22 pts - THIS was a match which Weston will want to forget.

WESTON 13 ptsOLD PATESIANS 22 ptsTHIS was a match which Weston will want to forget. Having fought back twice to within a point of their visitors, their lack of ability in the ball retention department finally let them down.This problem had been prevalent throughout with the turnover count reaching unacceptable proportions and, together with some scruffy distribution from the set scrums, poor kicking out of hand and lack of nous at the breakdown, this was not to be Weston's day. The line-outs, too, were a disappointment, plenty of possession but nothing off the top to give the backs any space.The Old Boys were ahead in the seventh minute when Stuart Taylor joined the line at speed to put Will Topps over. Adam Seager converted, but Weston replied with James Mackay's 38-metre penalty. Then a mix-up between Taylor and Henry Bird from Mackay's long kick saw Sean Bennett just beaten to the touchdown.Mackay's second penalty arrived in the 24th minute, but by this time the Seasiders were beginning to lose the ball in contact and James Reid, who had replaced the injured Kirk Middlemiss in the eighth minute had to be alert to save a try just before the break.Ed Smith received a yellow card four minutes into the second half and Reid was in defensive action again when his covering prevented a score after Chris Crichton had lost possession.But the Seasiders remained well in contention, that is until the 55th minute when the visitors grabbed a crucial score. Ross Bennett's kick lacked both height and direction and Bird was able to counter from inside his 22.The movement ended on the Weston line and on the Patesians' second attempt at a pushover scrum, the ball was kicked from their back row and referee Adam Friend awarded a penalty try which Seager converted. The score was now 14-6, but on the hour the hosts were back in the match. A strong tackle by Sean Bennett caused the Pats passing to break down and Paul Sprague kicked through for Daniel Fry to touch down.Mackay's conversion from wide out brought the Seasiders to within a point once again, but, as they had done for the majority of the match, contrived to lose possession. Seager's penalty took the visitors to 17-13 and a final turnover in the 77th minute gave Dan Mays a free run to the line to seal Weston's fate.Weston: C Crichton; K Middlemiss (J Reid 7), D Sanft, S Bennett, P Sprague; J Mackay, R Bennett; D Price, D Burge (capt), S Williams (N Lavender 36), M Kempton, A Russell, E Smith (sinbin 44), D Cook (J Harris 36), D Fry.