Nailsea & Backwell RFC 36 – 22 St Bernadettes RFC
With St Bernadettes winning seven of their last nine games and scoring an average of 36 points a game, the Ravens were under no illusions about the task at hand last Saturday at West End Park.
The visitors started the better with Nailsea trying to play out of their own territory in blustery conditions. Harry James scoring the opening try with Matt Manuell adding the conversion and then slotting a penalty moments later to go 0-10 up.
The Ravens responded with a try with their forward power, Jack McCormick, claiming the score. The Ravens added a second try when Alex Jones won the race from a deft kick by Jamie Elswood who added the extras.
Cory Love added another when Tom Crossman tackled the St Bernadettes kicker. The ball went loose for Nailsea to go 17-10 up at half time.
Sam Cook scored following a break from Joe Reed which Elswood converted.
Bernadettes then hit back with a typical stubborn try from James Gregory and with the conversion successful it was game on at 24-17.
The next score was crucial and after St Bernadettes tried to clear the lines, the ever present Tom Crossman carried from the half way line to step his way under the posts for the crucial score converted by Elswood 31-17.
James Gregory added his second for Bernadettes before Joe Reed made a clean break down the wing which was thwarted by a head high dangerous tackle from full back Noah Marshall who received a red card. No penalty try however, so the Ravens took the scrum and Luke Caswell rounded off the scoring with a pushover try.
The eighteen match winning streak came under great pressure and next week the Ravens will face the huge task of Avon away.
Report Credit - Tony Hill
Photo Credit - BobMolePhotoHobbyist.co.uk
