CHARD RUGBY REPORT FOR SATURDAY 15TH DECEMBER
by
 Glyn Hughes

SOMERSET PREMIER LEAGUE

CHARD 11PTS  MIDSOMER NORTON 25PTS

Chard in all honesty could not really complain about the final result because on the day Midsomer Norton took their chances and were more up for the contest than their hosts.
However Chard will point to several decisions which changed the course of the game in favour of Norton but Chard allowed the situation to get to them instead of concentrating on their performance and the visitors were quick to sense that this could be their day and they upped their performance accordingly and ran away in the final quarter to clinch what appears to be a comfortable victory but in reality  was  far from the case .
Norton started the game at a very high tempo and ran the ball from all corners of the pitch but the home defence was up to the task and things remained all square until the 18th minute when Steve Penny converted a penalty goal for the visitors after Chard were penalised for not releasing the ball. Within less than ten minutes Chards  Paul Nicholls successfully converted two penalties of his own resulting from similar offences to put Chard into a narrow lead.
With the half time whistle approaching Chard were on the wrong side of a very poor decision when a penalty kick to touch from  the visitors hit the corner flag and instead of being judged as touch in goal and restarting with a 22metre drop out a lineout was awarded to Norton. To add insult to injury  Sam Pullen scored a converted try from this situation which gave them an advantage of four points at the interval leading Chard by 10pts to 6pts.
Chard started the second half really well and should have scored in the opening minute. They were dominant in the set pieces and drove the visitors back ten metres from a scrummage but in the act of scoring they were thwarted by a blatant piece of illegal play by the visitors who must have known it would be their day when only a penalty was awarded instead of what looked like a certain penalty try and a yellow card to the offender. Chard kept up the pressure on the visitors line and eventually got their reward when Mark Parsons went over in the corner for an unconverted try to put Chard one point ahead.
However by this time Chard had started to get really  frustrated with some of the decisions and let the situation get to them. They  began to bicker amongst themselves instead of concentrating on the game and were further hindered when their skipper Jim Wagstaff had to leave the field with back problems.
Norton now really got on top and scored two late tries through Rob Fuller and James Grimpson who took advantage of Chards lack of concentration.
Penny converted one of these tries and added penalty with the last kick of the game after the referee reversed a  decision  he had initially given to the Chard when once again one of their players had too much to say.
Not the best way for Chard to finish the first half of the season but they must learn the consequences of not concentrating on the game. It is easy to say and more difficult to implement but decisions have to be accepted and players just have to get on with it. All matches in this league are really hard anyway and sides can not afford to give their opponents an advantage through indiscipline.

DORSET AND WILTS 2 SOUTH   DORCHESTER 41PTS  CHARD 7PTS
Chard never looked like winning this match but the final scoreline did not do justice to their efforts because Dorchester scored three converted tries in the last five minutes to give the final margin of victory an unreal look. Herbie James scored Chards try which was converted by Steve (Reg) Baker.

SOMERSET 3 SOUTH   CHARD V WELLS
Wells were unable to raise a side and pulled out of the game on Friday evening thus giving Chard a  walkover and the two league points

Next Saturday the 22nd December there are no games but on Boxing day Chard play the annual fixture against  Holyrood Old Boys kick off at 2 15pm and on Saturday 29th December  a Chard club xv will be at home to Crewkerne kick off 2 30pm