Winscombe defeated Wiveliscombe 31-19 at home.

Winscombe 31 pts

Wiveliscombe 19 pts

FOR the second game running, Winscombe started off at a sprint and should have scored in the first couple of minutes.

The hosts should have converted a simple two-on-one opportunity after good driving by Stewart Warren, Adam Scrase and Dan Fryer had opened up the defence.

Winscombe hooker Fryer took a strike against the head and Will Thomas picked up at the base to send Owen Howell away. Wiveliscombe were awarded a five metre scrum, but scrum-half Lewis Podpadec collared his opposite number to win a Winscombe put-in from which Thomas was held up over the line.

Joe Ford was held up after the next five metre put-in, but on the third attempt Thomas picked up to force his way over. Steve Pugh converted for a seven point lead on 15 minutes.

Wiveliscombe responded with a fine break, but the hosts still seemed to be the dominant force with Thomas, Scrase, Fryer and Howell all making good carries. The visitors caught them flat-footed from a quickly taken penalty and their winger touched down in the corner for an unconverted try.

Winscombe stretched their lead just before the break after good work from Howell, Ford and Simon Thompson, led to Popadec to touch down.

Winscombe had the better of possession and territory in the third quarter, despite being a man down for 10 minutes. Good cover defence by Callum Stewart and driving play opened up the defence for Thomas to pick up at a ruck and charge 20 metres to score under the posts. Pugh converted on 50 minutes.

Winscombe continued to press, but Wiveliscombe broke free and scored with an excellent counter attack from their own 22. The conversion took the score to 19-12.

Five minutes later after a period of driving play involving Fryer, Thomas, Scrase and Howell, Warren was held up over the line. Thomas was held up from the five metre scrummage and when a penalty was awarded at the next one, Matt Truscott was held up, but eventually Thomas touched down for a push-over try when Fryer got his third strike against the head. Pugh converted again.

Howell intercepted for an easy run-in in the 71st minute. However, it was the visitors who produced the final score when they chased a quickly-taken penalty for an easy run-in under the posts. The conversion took the score to 31-19 with two minutes to play.