Winscombe ran out comfortable 52-12 winners at home to Imperial.

Winscombe 52 pts

Imperial 12 pts

WINSCOMBE entertained Imperial and ran out comfortable 52-12 winners.

The home side didn’t see the ball for the first five minutes as Imperial played to their strength and kept driving forward through their pack. When Winscombe eventually gained possession from a line-out, Jim Merryfield looped around Owen Howell for a converted try.

The Winscombe threequarters were straight back on the attack when the restart didn’t go 10 metres. Adam Scrase and Kieran Clarke made good ground to set up quick ruck ball, from which Chris Aske crossed for a converted try.

A third converted try came from similar play to the first, with George House being the recipient of Howell’s loop pass. Aske took a good catch from the restart and the ball went along the line to Phil Peat, who went on his second long run of the game to keep play in the Imperial half.

The bonus point try came after Clarke picked up in broken play and made 30 metres with a powerful run. Dan Fryer was first to the breakdown, but the ball was held up over the line. From the five metre scrum, Ollie Jones scored a pushover try in the corner.

Winscombe turned around 26-0 ahead and this lead was increased within three minutes. Imperial threw too long at an attacking line-out and Tom Nock, on for the injured Louis Hooper, pounced on the ball to send House on a scintillating 70 metre run for his second try.

The sixth try came after Howell released James Flower on a good run and a quickly taken penalty was spun wide and Aske crashed over for his second try, converted by Howell.

Imperial got on the scoreboard at the end of the third quarter when Winscombe’s set move from a line-out went awry and Imperial won a penalty that was kicked almost to the goal line which they crossed from a driving maul.

Winscombe responded immediately when the ball reached Lucas Humphreys on the wing. From the breakdown, Fryer put Peat away on a run to the line. He was held up, but Nock managed to dive over for a converted try.

To their credit, Imperial didn’t let their heads drop and surprised a flat-footed Winscombe defence with a second try when they ran back a poor clearing kick from the halfway line.

Again the response was swift when the Winscombe pack won a scrummage against the head. Their No 8 was held up near the line, but from the ruck, Howell found Fryer in a perfect position to slide in for a converted try.

There were some good runs by the Winscombe forwards, notably Clarke and Simon Thompson as they strove for another score, but Imperial were able to get turnover ball and finished the game with Winscombe defending desperately on their own line.