CHARD RUGBY CLUB MATCH REPORTS FOR SATURDAY 3RD MARCH 2007
BY GLYN HUGHES
SOMERSET PREMIER DIVISION         CHARD 62 PTS   COMBE DOWN 3PTS

What a difference a week makes!!
Having suffered a very heavy defeat last week Chard got back to winning ways with a comprehensive victory against Combe Down.
Chard were able to welcome back several players and the side had a very strong look about it.
Chard dominated the opening play but a lot of good possession was wasted by some very poor passing in the backs some of which was nonsensical in the heavy conditions. After these initial blips the forwards took some control and Chard went ahead from a well rehearsed lineout move after ten minutes play when hooker Jon Hendy went over for an unconverted try in the corner which would be the start of a remarkable day for him personally.
Within minutes scrum half Paul Nicholls made a sniping run down the blindside and went over for another unconverted effort.
Despite being up against it in every way Combe battled hard and got some reward when Jason Wheatley reduced the arrears with an excellent penalty goal.
Flanker John Porter was making some penetrating  runs and just before half time he linked well with the impressive Matt Ousley who went over for Chards third try which was successfully converted by Nicholls.
Chard led comfortably by 17-3 at half time without ever showing signs of delivering the high scoring  rout that would follow.
In the early moments of the second half skipper Jim Wagstaff put Chard further ahead with a fine but unconverted try. Hooker and former skipper Hendy would earn most of the plaudits in the second half and after ten minutes of the half he got the second of what would turn out to be a five try haul when he again got the touchdown after another textbook lineout move. Nicholls added the extras to put Chard well ahead.
 At this point Combe Down were really struggling , but they proceeded to make things a lot worse with some very undisciplined play. Firstly having won a penalty they had the decision reversed for backchat to the referee and were made to pay when that man Hendy went over for another try. To add insult to injury Nicholls converted from the touch line to put Chard out of sight. If this was not bad enough the referee who looked as if he would yellow card one of their players for stamping  had no option but to give him a straight red when the player completely lost it with a verbal volley directed at the official.
Needless to say Chard were now well on top and a lovely break by James Herbert ended with Hendy taking the final pass to go over for his fourth try .
The passing in the backs had improved somewhat in the second half  and some good play sent the ball out wide where Hendy sniffed another opportunity and went over for his fifth try converted by Nicholls. Nicholls had played promisingly on his return to the club and linked well with Herbert before breaking through and scoring under the posts for Chards ninth try which he also converted.
The visitors couldn’t wait for the agony to finish but Chard added a further seven points when in the dying minutes the referee correctly awarded a penalty try when Combe Down pulled down a maul in a try scoring situation
A comprehensive victory for Chard which keeps them in fourth position in the premier division.
Certainly a day that  Jon Hendy will not forget in a hurry.
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SHERBORNE 2NDS 27PTS CHARD 2NDS 7PTS (DORSET AND WILTS LEAGUE  2 SOUTH)

Sherborne were the slightly better of two poor sides and deserved their win. Chard were guilty of taking the wrong options on several occasions and got  caught in isolated  possession far too often .Chard arrived late, started badly and unfortunately this set the tone for the whole game . Skipper Lee Brun scored a first half try  converted by Stuart Gold to level things up for a time but Sherborne scored four tries, including a last minute effort, a penalty goal and one conversion to seal victory.

Next Saturday Chard 1st xv are due to play  Old Culverhaysians away in the Somerset Cup and the 2nd xv are at home to Martock both games having a 2.30pm ko