Winscombe earned a bonus point victory at Taunton.

Taunton 2nds 19 pts

Winscombe 43 pts

WINSCOMBE opened the scoring after just two minutes when Will Thomas scored a pushover try, converted by Steve Pugh.

After the restart, Winscombe retained possession through a number of phases to work their way deep into home territory only to be stunned by a fine breakaway converted try.

Good work from the restart saw Thomas, Pugh and Rob Clift combine to send Thomas under the posts for an early brace. Pugh duly converted in the 12th minute, but Taunton replied with a try just two minutes later.

After an exchange of kicks, Cameron Lapes initiated a counter-attack and after seven phases, James Flower crossed in the corner. Winscombe earned a bonus point on the half-hour when Lapes touched down, after good work by Ford, Matt Hoy-Green, Rutherford, Matt Truscott and Thomas.

The opening score of the second half came even quicker than in the first. A determined chase of the kick-off forced a knock-on by Taunton and when Clift came into the line from the scrum, Rutherford sent Hoy-Green over with an inside pass.

From the restart, a long clearance put Winscombe straight back on the offensive where they stayed, but their inaccuracy meant it took until the hour before they could add to their tally when they stole a line-out five metres out. Flower took an inside line to score under the posts. Pugh added the extras.

Winscombe laid siege to the Taunton goal-line and there was a combined total of eight line-outs, scrummages and Winscombe penalties all within five metres and at the ninth count, a penalty try was awarded. Pugh’s conversion took the score to 12-43 with eight minutes to play.

The restart failed to go 10 metres but Winscombe’s laboured move behind the scrum was picked off for an interception try under the posts. The conversion completed the scoring in the 75th minute.

Drybrook Colts 36 pts

Winscombe 10 pts

WINSCOMBE Colts travelled deep into the Forest of Dean for the final outing of the season to play a team bolstered by a handful of talented players from the Hartbury College Academy.

They lost the match but came away with their pride intact and far from defeated. Down seven points within six minutes and facing a strong wing it looked likely to be a long afternoon for the visitors, but they dug deep and it was two minutes before half-time until Drybrook increased their lead.

Winscombe had used both their substitutes in the first-half with the Hodson twins taking heavy knocks and then with Rob Bennett departing, they played the second half a man short, eventually going down to 13 when Ed Bourdon twisted his ankle.

Fortunately for Winscombe, Drybrook’s indiscipline evened up matters to some extent. The penalty count was 18 to one against them and the referee showed two yellow and one red card in the third quarter, but Drybrook had crossed for two more tries by then.

It was two tries apiece in the final quarter which is testament to Winscombe’s tenacity, with Rhys Lewis and Kieran Westacott scoring, after good work by Sam Dearsley and Brandon Harvey.