CHARD RUGBY REPORT FOR SATURDAY 27TH JANUARY 2007

SOMERSET PREMIER LEAGUE

CHARD 26PTS  WELLS 15PTS

Chard completed the double over a Wells side who are far better than their league position  suggests.
Injuries and illness forced Chard to make several changes including Finn O’brien starting his first game at scrum half in the senior side
Chard had a good start when winger James Herbert went over for an unconverted try after 5 minutes but this was an isolated piece of good play by the home side who looked out of sorts for most of the first half. Their cause was not helped by the early sinbinning of both Mark Parsons and Martin Carnell. Playing against 13 men Wells pulled ahead with 2 penalty goals and a try to go in front by 11pts to 5. Chard expected to get back into the game when  their players returned from the bin but a  miserable  first half performance was compounded when Wells scored their second try just before half time to have a comfortable 16-5 lead at the break.
Some stern words from skipper Wagstaff  during the interval seemed to do the trick and the home pack of forwards started to dominate proceedings  and prop Clive Derman drove over for an unconverted try. James Twigg added a penalty goal to reduce the deficit to 3 points and Wells did not help themselves by getting a player also sent to the bin for persistent technical infringements. This loss of a player helped Chard to take even more control in the forward exchanges and Derman and Jon Hendy both forced their way over for tries one of which was converted by Twigg.
A disappointing  performance by Chard but not for the first time this season they did enough to  take the points and were able to raise their game at crucial times in the match.

DORSET AND WILTS LEAGUE 2 SOUTH

SWANAGE AND WAREHAM  3RDS 52PTS        CHARD 2NDS 17PTS

Chard travelled to this game with high hopes of getting a result but the home side bore little resemblance to the side that had played at Chard earlier in the season and despite playing well for much of the game Chard were hit by three phases of really good play by their hosts. Swanage quickly ran in three converted tries in the opening stages of the game and added two more just before the interval. Chard then had a fine spell of play  themselves and tries came from Richard lovelock, Andy Mckerrow and Stuart Gold who also added a conversion. The game was then evenly contested for a long period before the home side added two late scores for a comprehensive victory.

WINSCOMBE 3RDS 33PTS    CHARD 3RDS 5 PTS

This game was a  contest  in the main between young and old and the home youngsters used their pace to good effect against a mature Chard side!! Winscombe led by 21pts at half time before prop Brian Male pulled a try back for Chard. However despite a better performance in the second half Chard were simply not quick enough on the day.

NEXT SATURDAY CHARD 1ST XV TRAVEL TO BATH TO PLAY STOTHERT AND PITT IN A PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH.
THE SECOND XV ARE AT HOME TO WIMBORNE 3RD XV IN THE DORSET AND WILTS LEAGUE