Sidmouth 21 pts Yatton 21 pts - YATTON just failed in their attempt at a double over fellow basement club Sidmouth.

Sidmouth 21 pts

Yatton 21 pts

YATTON just failed in their attempt at a double over fellow basement club Sidmouth.

The travellers were under-strength due to sickness and commitments and the team had been involved in a tough Somerset Cup match against Weston in midweek.

Two easy penalty conversions went astray during the first 20 minutes as the home side played with advantage of the slope and forged ahead through a penalty and a try.

Sam Osborne put Yatton on the board with a penalty and good interplay by the forwards saw them surge from halfway for prop James Grimes to crash over for a try minutes before the break. Sidmouth regained the lead with a penalty in the dying seconds to turn around at 11-8.

Osborne levelled the scores within minutes of the second half, but stiff resistance held the visitors at bay and a breakout saw additional penalties traded around the hour mark.

With 15 minutes of normal time to go, quick ball from the base of a scrum saw full-back Tony Hill join in at pace, taking a high pass and Mike Harris finished easily. Osborne's kick gave Yatton a seven point advantage with time to spare.

But the home side had other thoughts and doubled their endeavour. With just over 10 minutes to go, Yatton's flanker was yellow carded and Sidmouth's penalty conversion rattled back into play off of an upright.

The ball was knocked on by a surprised defender and a prolonged series of tough close quarter onslaughts took place on Yatton's try line before a penalty try was awarded.

Sidmouth's No8 was carded with seconds to go as Yatton's jumpers were again impeded, but the penalty chance flew just wide.

This Saturday is the second local 'biggy' of this season. Yatton will see if they can avenge their mid October defeat against comfortably placed Clevedon.

A vice-presidents lunch is followed by kick-off at 2.30pm. The Seconds travel to St Bernadettes and the Thirds go to Oldfield.

Yatton Diamonds 10 pts

Melksham 5 pts

YATTON Diamonds played host to a good Melksham Under-16 girls team.

The Diamonds had not played since they beat Cinderford back in December and right from the kick-off, both teams struggled to find their footing and decent running rugby was out of the question.

The scrum was order of the day as both sides found it difficult to control a slippery ball. It was from one of these scrums just inside the Melksham 22 that Yatton took full advantage.

Melksham's defence switched off momentarily, which allowed Yatton to finally move the ball along the back line from the scrum. Kate Alder passed to Becky Cutts and finally onto Georgie Liddington, who scored in the corner.

Melksham decided to use the high ball from the restart, which caught Yatton unawares.

This put Yatton full-back Izzy Peters under pressure and Melksham scored an easy try for a 5-5 scoreline at half time.

The second half saw the pitch cutting up and both sides settled down to some close quarter combat. The Yatton forwards kept the ball close, only releasing to the backs when Melksham looked like breaking.

Yatton secured victory in the 50th minute, when from a scrum on the Melksham five metre line, Sarah Gill scored in the corner.