Wells Rugby Football Club

Saturday 23 February 2007.

Combe Down 5 – Wells 30.

Wells eased themselves into the semi-finals of The Somerset Vase with this comprehensive win over League One side Combe Down. The match was only confirmed on Friday as Combe Down had expected to be playing Stothert & Pitt in a second round match, but a dispute over dates meant that Stothert & Pitt were eliminated without even kicking a ball.

Wells took a strong team to Bath for this match but did allow themselves scope for some experimentation with the use of five replacements as the match progressed. From a Wells point of view the early stages were disappointing, over complication wasted a couple of try scoring chances and a rapidly mounting penalty count meant that they were playing on the back foot. Still, after fifteen minutes Wells opened their account with a rather simple try. Set scrum, ball moved left, half break by Alex Knight, pass to Lewis O’Meara, try.  For the next twenty five minutes it is fair to say that Wells were guilty of over elaboration. Switches, reverse passes, flip passes, long and short passes and constant change of direction by the runners. If it had come off, it would have looked spectacular but it did not and Combe Down kept themselves in the match with some dogged defence. They also had a great ability to retain the ball when they got their hands on it, but could make little forward progress.  The result was that as half time approached, Wells were still just the one try up, but then Mark Gregg, back after a long absence came off his wing to make an incursion into midfield. The damage was done and rampaging prop Wayne Stiling took up the move to crash over near the posts for an easy conversion to give Wells a twelve point interval lead.

In the second half, the Wells backs really showed their paces with direct hard running, although they have to thank their pack for the sterling work up front. In this respect no one worked harder than Martin Phipps who week in, week out, goes about his work without flash, or show, but he does have great ability to win the fifty fifty ball.   Despite changes due to injury and substitutions they threatened at times to run riot. The Combe Down pack had run out of steam and Wells had a plentiful supply of ball. Direct running by Mark Gregg and Alex Knight opened the gaps, the teams leading try scorer, Lewis O’Meara got two more and Mark Gregg himself touched down. The strong wind make kicking difficult, but Aaron Cook did also add a penalty.

The final word however did go to the hosts with a try right at the death, some reward for a good effort against superior opposition. Wells now await their semi final opponents.

This Saturday, back to league action with a home match against St Bernadettes Old Boys. The second team travel to Somerton for their league fixture, whilst the third team play Midsomer Norton in a league three south match.