SWANAGE & WAREHAM 27pts AVONVALE 20pts
Swanage & Wareham welcomed Avonvale, the oldest club in the Bath area, to Bestwall last Saturday, and after a struggle managed a bonus point victory, but they had to work hard to achieve the result.
In the first minute a kick by the Avonvale full back put Swans on the back foot and after a mistake at the line out Avonvale scored a try in the corner. Fortunately the full back was not so good from the tee. From the restart the ball came out to Swans winger George Crouch who ran round, beat a few defenders and scored a try close to the posts. Fly half Will Slack added the extras(7pts – 5pts) after 6 minutes. Swans were dominating the scrums and a scrum on the visitors 22 meters line resulted in a penalty. Will Slack converted.
A couple of penalties to Swans took them into the Avonvale 22, and from a scrum the ball came out to Will Slack who scored under the posts. He added the conversion himself.(15pts – 5pts) after 20 minutes. The play put Swans under pressure. However just before the break Swans were attacking the Avonvale line when an Avonvale wing forward picked up from a scrum and broke clear and made ground, passed inside and scored out wide. The conversion was missed. Half Time Swans 15pts Avonvale 10pts.
A penalty to Swans in the first minute after the restart had the ball coming along the three-quarters to George Crouch who went in for a try in the corner.(20pts – 10pts). Swans were still having problems with the long kicking of Avonvale and were making mistakes in the backs with knocks-on and dropped passes.
On 50 minutes another long kick put Swans on the defensive and from a line out Avonvale did a catch/drive move to score in the corner.(20pts – 15pts). Swans were doing most of the attacking, but were driven back by the long kicking. However after 70 minutes a penalty to Swans took them into the visitors 22 and from a scrum came to Swans centre Ed Dimecio who crossed the try line close to the posts for Swans bonus point try. Will Slack converted (27pts – 15pts). From the restart the ball was kicked deep into Swans territory and the ball was not cleared to touch and Avonvale scored their bonus point try in the corner. The conversion was missed making the final score Swans 27pts Avonvale 20pts
Swans team :- O.Dillon, G.Crouch, E.Demescio, L Esera, S.Bowen, W,Slack, O.Peters, S.Waterman, C.Foskett, A.Crouch, K.Salina, G.Slack, J.Degei, M.Roberts, K.Jones, Z.Wyburgh, J.Blackmore, M.Spencer.