Winscombe 14 Chew Valley Cats 24
Today more than one game was played against local rivals Winscombe, one of rugby and one of mind games. Pre match preparation was disrupted by multiple wrong communications, but The Cats brushed it off and remained focused. Back to rugby chat and a significant slope on the pitch meant that a win of the toss was critical in securing a downhill second half. Playing uphill for 40 minutes was a hard slog for Chew but they knew if they could get to half time with damages limited, then the game was theirs. Firstly Winscombe needed crushing, but they came out the blocks hard and fast. The Cats were on the back foot and struggled to contain the intensity of their game. It wasn’t long before the visitors succumbed to the pressure and 14 points were put against Chew in as many minutes. From this point, The Cats started to find their feet, turning ball over and pressuring Winscombe into mistakes. The tables were starting to turn and The Cats knew it. A long period of pressure from the visitors in the second quarter saw them rewarded with a try for their efforts, scored by Anna Dyson, who had tirelessly worked in both attack and defence the whole game. Half time score 14-5.
One stand out area of the game which has to have special mention were the immense scrums from Chew. Sammie light, poppy Elliman and Brontë Lynch at front row with Chelsey Stevens and Karen Milne at second put in an awesome shift. Turning over multiple scrums by folding their pack in half. Player of the match Naomi Harris at flank worked her socks off and appeared to have duplicated herself across the pitch.
The delight to now play down hill was etched on Chew faces and this was evident in the 40 minutes that followed. The Cats dominated possession and were an absolute nuisance to Winscombe- running hard, recycling well and playing a faster game. Forward of the match Poppy Elliman was the next to get on the score sheet for The Cats, after a series of passes put her over the line in the corner. 14-10. The next spell of rugby saw a barrage of attacks by Chew, but narrow play meant repeated held up balls, and ultimately no score. The last quarter was where the home side’s defence finally got broken, with joint back of the match Anna Dyson scoring a further 2 to get herself a hat trick. The reward was given alongside back counterparts Holly Washington and Jess Gleed who both had excellent games. The final tries of the game were successfully converted by Charlotte Hynam.