Bridgwater & Albion defeat rivals Burnham-on-Sea at home

Bridgwater produced their best home performance of the season to beat local rivals Burnham on Sea on Saturday afternoon to gain revenge for the defeat they suffered in the away fixture in September.

This game marked George Sluman’s 175th and Jon Hill’s 50th first team appearances and saw Connor Hull make his debut as a replacement.

Before kick off both teams observed a minutes silence in memory of Terry Self, a former B&ARFC President who was instrumental in the club moving to their present home from the Broadway ground.

In front of the biggest crowd of the season at College Way, it was the visitors who kicked off and after creating early pressure took the lead when the ever dangerous Ryan Beard scored a try between the posts which Scott Havercroft added the extras to.

Bridgwater came straight back and on 15 minutes Danny Mahoney went over for an unconverted try in the right hand corner.

Lewis Plece was prominent in a couple Albion moves but soon after he had to leave the field with an injury.

Bridgwater’s pack was in top form and following a line out on the right they drove a good 25 metres before the ball was passed to Josh Frost who made a good break before being tackled.

A penalty to left touch resulted and another good break by Kyran Devitt was rewarded when Jon Hill, went over to the left of the posts for a try which Devitt converted to put the hosts into the lead for the first time.

The lead was short lived however as Burnham bounced straight back with a second try for Ryan Beard which Havercroft converted.

Burnham continued to come forward but good defending repelled the challenge and following a series of good moves including another break by Devitt, the hosts worked their way deep into opposition territory. Taylor Buller charged to the line but came up just short before the ball found its way to Alex Knight who went over for a try in the left corner.

Just before the interval James Collings made a good break  down the right before Devitt produced another run which ended with him crossing for an unconverted try to make the score 22-14 at half time.

Burnham started the second half in the ascendancy and soon after the re-start reduced the arrears  to five points when they kicked a penalty.

Devitt then slotted home  a penalty making it 25-14.

Shortly after the hosts were awarded another penalty, a long range affair, which on this occasion Hull slotted home from the half way line.

With just over 10 minutes remaining Mahoney scored his second try which Devitt converted.

The game was ebbing away and Burnham may have been trailing 35-17,  but they were far from done and another attack resulted in an unconverted try.

The final score of the day came from another dazzling try from Devitt in the corner which he added the extras to with an exceptional conversation, making the final score 42-22 to Bridgwater & Albion.

This Saturday sees Albion visit Chosen Hill Former Pupils in Gloucester who they beat when the two sides met earlier in the season.

B&ARFC- Kyran Devitt, Josh Frost, Lewis Plece, Charlie Willcox, Danny Mahoney, Ollie Phillips, Jon Hill, Taylor Buller (captain), George Sluman, Alex Knight, Tom Hopkins, Tom West, Harry Pentelow, Karolis Urbonas and Gavin Knight.

Replacements all used - Rowan Traynor, Connor Hull and James Collings.