YATTON R F C - WESTERN COUNTIES (NORTH) League
Media Contact – Tony Watkins Tel/Fax 01275 – 875944 E-Mail ‘tony@awwandco.com’
Saturday 14th April 2007 (League Match)
Nil 32
Yatton tribute to supporters is league title
In brilliant sunshine and heat more akin to July or August, Yatton arrived in two coaches and over a dozen cars.
After a quiet start, coming to terms with Stroud’s heavy pack and well drilled lineout play, the visitors first points were a penalty after 10 minutes.
Both sides battled hard with the homeside making breaks from solid scrums only to be stopped in Yatton’s 22 by fierce tackling.
Yatton edged further in front from a 35 minute penalty but minutes later decisively finished off a rolling maul as prop Gavin Clifford grounded the ball.
On 45 minutes a player from each side was yellow carded as Stroud attempted to turn back the inevitable.
Ten minutes later Yatton’s mobility clicked into gear from a four man lineout, interplay between centre and flanker saw Mike Harris returned the pass to Nick Spellissy who finished beneath the post, Dave Keating’s conversion putting Yatton 18-0 in front.
Sixty five minutes in and centre Rhys Davies awareness enabled him to intercept and cross over under the posts.
A fitting end to this, Yatton’s outright promotion clinching game, came with five minutes to go. Captain Chris Harris cut through the still battling homeside, having received the ball from a Davies ‘tackle and steal’ on the halfway line, and ceremoniously grounded the ball.
Fly Half Dave Keating, playing in possibly his final 1st XV appearance, calmly slotted away the conversion thereby claiming both 32 points for Yatton in this game and coincidently 32 Championship League points for the season.
Yatton Supporter’s Man of the Match went to all the 45 players used by the team throughout the season and especially to scrum half Anthony Harris who drafted in to replace injured Nic Garnham proved his ability and fitness throughout the whole eighty minutes.
Two Up Three Down
The
Of the ‘junior’ sides Winscombe have gained promotion from Somerset One into Somerset Premier having only lost one league game and Nailsea/Backwell slide down into Somerset One.
Weston Hornets although having won their last game saw Taunton do likewise, consequently Hornets fall into Western Counties (North) and Taunton survive in South West Two by one win.
Clevedon’s
spectacular fall out of South West One, only winning two games out of a
possible 22, means local
Yatton clinched 32 league games to secure championship of the Western Counties North division outright when they trounced Stroud last Saturday, keeping a clean sheet and clocking up a coincidental 32 points in their emphatic win.