Western Counties West
Falmouth 26, Wellington 19

THE long trip to Cornwall proved a frustrating one for Wellington last Saturday, as they suffered an agonising defeat on a cold and wet afternoon in Falmouth, writes Allyn Chetland.

Vinny Gordan, Josh Hancock and Cam Venn came into the Red & Blacks squad for Ash Harney, Will Hinchcliffe and Tom Crosby.

Playing with the breeze in the first half, the visitors were soon on the attack, dominating territory and procession for the first 30 minutes.

Despite this, the R&Bs could only muster one score, a well-finished unconverted try by winger Nev Pitman.

In the final 10 minutes of the half Falmouth started to get some ball to work with, and scored an unconverted try of their own after a speculative kick and a wicked bounce of the ball, making the half-time score 5-5.

The second half started poorly for Wellington, as a home centre waltzed through to score a converted try from 35m out – an uncharacteristic error from the R&Bs.

The hosts continually frustrated the away side throughout the half, slowing the game at every opportunity, especially at the lineouts, and the offside line at the rucks.

The R&Bs still looked more dangerous with ball in hand, and they struck twice with tries from Cam Venn and Alex Davey, both of them converted by full-back Rob Hooper, to lead 19-12 going into the dying minutes of the game.

In a crazy last few minutes, however, Wellington conceded two converted tries; a clearance kick was charged down, and then a pass was intercepted by a defender who looked at least 5m offside.

The R&Bs had one last chance, but a well-orchestrated attack came up just short when a chip through could not be collected, and it finished 26-19 – Wellington gaining a losing bonus point.

Wellington squad: Richards, Dyke, Marke, M Walker, R Walker, Kitto, Phillips, Lee, Goldstone, Jarman (c), Pitman, Batts, Davey, Gordon, Hooper, Hancock, Venn, Brewer.

Kingsbridge – who sit one place above Wellington – visit the Athletic Ground this coming Saturday.

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Western Counties West
Chard 55, Wiveliscombe 22

WIVELISCOMBE found themselves 31-5 down at half time and there was only going to be one winner from that point on, writes Roger Bellamy.

Chard ran their visitors ragged with the Wivey backs failing to halt the home team's threes, who looked a class above Wivey.

The visitors' forwards also looked second best in the scrums with the home team always on the front foot.

Twenty minutes into the game the home team led 31-0, with tries scored by Ben Robinson, Charlie Roberts, Ross Colenso and Ben Thomas (2) and Niall Crouch converting three.

Wiveliscombe crossed for a try just before the break with captain for the day Dan Smyth-Moore scoring from Wivey pressure on Chard's try line.

Wiveliscombe closed the gap to 31-10 with a Jake Sharland try but Colenso's second try of the game pulled Chard further clear.

The visitors, to their credit, kept going but were picking up injuries to add to an already lengthy list.

Fly-half George Rowe showed good strength to cross for Wivey's third try which was converted by Dan Quick.

Chard continued to pressure the the visitors' scrum, which lost influential prop Will Ellis midway through the second half.

The visitors then conceded a penalty try after collapsing a good drive from the home eight.

Sharland scored his second try of the game before the home team crossed for two more tries of their own through Billy Brooks and Joe Mainwaring.

Crouch added one more penalty for a 53-22 final score.

This wasn't a good day for the West Somerset team, with the only consolation being a four-try losing bonus point.

Wivey will look to bounce back at home to St Austell next Saturday.