Sat 13 Apr 2024
Clevedon RFC 17 - 21 Frome RFC
Report by Trevor Osborne
With the league season over, all sights were now on the Papa Johns Community Cup , with Frome travelling to Clevedon for the first round of the Counties 1 South Plate looking to finish the season with a good cup run.
Frome started brightly with the back three of Simon Finch, Sam Cassidy and Henry Bull using their pace to create opportunities.
Frome thought they had opened the scoring when Winger, Finch went over but were called back for a forward pass. Shortly after a 50 metre break by the returning Hooker, John Benstead opened up the defence but was tackled just short of the line.
The first points came when after a midfield scrum, the ball was worked out to Full Back Bull, who cut through the defence to score an unconverted try.
The home side came back into the game with the their big ball carriers running hard at the Frome defence, however some great tackling lead by Captain, Geoff Taylor and No.8, Alex Mallon kept them at bay.
An indiscretion in front of the posts allowed the home Fly Half to reduce the deficit.
Frome then put together a period of pressure and were rewarded with a penalty converted by Bull.
The Frome backs orchestrated by Half Backs, Billy James and Simon Westlake continued to threaten and they scored again when Bull evaded a couple of would be tacklers to touch down to give Frome a 13-3 half time lead.
HT: Clevedon RFC 3 - 13 Frome RFC
The home side started the second half strongly and despite more heroic defence were able to fashion a converted try to reduce the deficit.
The introduction of replacements Zach Bartlett at Scrum Half and Ali Frost in the Centres gave Frome added impetus and they increased their lead through another Bull penalty shortly after.
Frome continued to press with replacement front rowers Phil Clarke and Gordon Grierson both featuring in attack and defence.
However the next score came when Fly Half Westlake through an audacious dummy, ghosted his way through and touched down to give Frome a 21-10 lead.
The seasiders got back into the game when a ball dropped in midfield was hacked forward and the home centre followed up for a converted try.
The final 10 mins were played out with the home side pressing for a score to snatch the win but the Frome defence held out to secure the win and a home tie against Paignton RFC next week in the last 16 of the competition.
Player of the Match was awarded to Fly Half, Simon Westlake.
