A low key performance by Tabard on Saturday led to a heavy defeat at Weston-Super-Mare.

Had Tabard just managed a little more cohesion in their game, they may have capitalised on the chances they created and could have taken the two league points on offer, but this was not to be.

The game started rather sluggishly, but Weston took advantage of the fact that Tabard had travelled, and a dropped goal after eight minutes by stand off Williams and a converted try by their wing Hughes, was enough to wrest the initiative from Tabard.

Despite these setbacks Tabard were the offensive side, just shading the exchanges up front where second row Rob Sussum and flanker Ben James were very much in evidence.

However, Tabard could not convert pressure into points, a fact compounded by missed penalty kicks.

Tabard did show some spirited running in the three-quarters but they were not able to penetrate the Weston defence until a great run out of his own 22 metre area by Tabard's full back James Drew took him within two metres of the Weston line.

For once Tabard rucked cleanly and the ball went to centre Louis Botha for the try.

Unfortunately the conversion drifted wide and Tabard trailed by 10 points to five.

Just before half time, Weston's scrum half Coleman slotted a penalty over and the teams turned round with Tabard 13 points to five adrift.

In the second half both sides created scoring chances but only Weston finished them off. On balance, the sides were pretty evenly matched and Tabard had great surges at the Weston defence.

Centre Roean Coetzee and wings Giles Mitchell and Brendan Higgins all breaking strongly upfield, but the thrusts forward stalled short of the Weston line.

On the other hand, Weston's Zimbabwean centre Madamombe was able to penetrate the Tabard line for a try which Coleman converted and the final turn of the screw was another penalty to give Weston their winning margin.

TABARD: Drew, Higgins, Botha, Coetzee, Mitchell, Daniels, Stringer, Colette, Sharp, Bird, Sussum, Watson, Hyatt, James (Dube 35m) and Webb.o

Next week Tabard take on Penzance and Newlyn at Cobden Hill, in the Powergen Cup.

Weston-Super-Mare 23

Tabard 5

National League Three South

October 1, 2002 17:00