Frome RFC

Following a respectful two minutes silence for Remembrance, Frome Academy hosted Royal Wootton Bassett at The Lane. The game began with early good carries from Nick Powell and Ewan Cox. 

However, Royal Wootton Bassett moved the ball early for a try after less than five minutes. 

Frome replied with dominant tackles from Oscar Stickley and Kieran Stacey, which put Frome on the attack.

After ten minutes, after repeated infringements from Royal Wootton Bassett, an inside ball from Alfie Newbery at fly half, put Powell just short of try line. From the nest phase, scrum half Laurie White dived over the line to score. 

Harry Greenwood added extras for a 7-5 score line. 

A few plays later, a clean strike move from the backs from a line out put Jonas Mills into attacking space. From next attack, the ball popped inside by Newbery and Stickely beat two men to score from close range. The score was 14-5.

Next, under pressure, from the rush defence Newbery kicked the ball over the defence. Zach Sibley timed his run to perfection, picked up the loose ball and after a one two with winger Will Ibbitson, scored a remarkable try under the posts. Greenwood kept his record intact with another two points. 

On twenty minutes, with the backs getting into the game more, Archie Pearn and Stacey repeatedly carried well in midfield. Sibley almost scored out wide - after another great, flowing move.

On thirty minutes, with space opening up, Dom Evans, who combined with Newbery and Greenwood, was narrowly denied a try due to some good scramble defence. 

In the final minutes of the half, after Ibbitson collected a high ball and recycled, the backs moved the ball out wide. Only for Mills to bump off the onrushing defender to score out wide. Then Greenwood slotted the extras, off the post to maintain his 100% record from tee. He then slotted a three point penalty through the posts for a 31-5 half-time lead.

In opening minute of half, with great platform from forwards, the ball swept wide, with offloads at gainline. Ibbitson stepped inside his opposing winger to score in the corner. 

Next, after a bulldozing run from Stickley, the boys kept the ball nice and tight. Powell, who terrorised the away team all day,  stepped blind and scored in the corner. The score was now 41-5.

With Frome turning the screw - Newbery spotted an overlap and sent an excellent cross field kick into the sky. Cassidy caught and scored unopposed for a 48-5 score line.

Minutes later, after phase play from the forwards, Seb Smith carried hard into the midfield and offloaded to Ibbitson. He was half tackled and offloaded to Webster. The full back finished from the edge of the 22. 

Another sweeping move followed, White moved the ball on from the scrum, Newbery fed Vince, playing now on the wing. Pearn was now in space and showed his class to score a try out wide. following this, diving onto a loose ball, Royal Wootton Bassett scored under the posts. 

In the final act of the game, Sibley intercepted a ball in defence, he ran the length of the field, but a great tap tackle from the visitors denied a certain try. The away side offended on the line and Stickley took a quick tap to score the games final try. Greenwood scored the extra’s for a final score of 67-12.

Nick Powell was awarded Player of the Match.