CHOSEN HILL FP 13 BRIXHAM 15

Recent heavy rain had made the pitch very heavy and the slope advantage, with Chosen having first use of it, became more of an influencing factor than normal. The opening exchanges were very even and the first scoring opportunity went to Brixham after five minutes who kicked a penalty into the corner and tried to drive over from the lineout but were denied by strong Chosen defence.

On fifteen minutes Chosen turned over a Brixham ruck near the half way line and centre Andy King hoisted a huge kick deep into the visitors twenty two where a mix up in defence allowed Chosen winger Mark Yemm to steal the ball and dive over for an unconverted try. Two minutes later King increased the lead to eight points with a penalty goal awarded after the Brixham front row were penalised twenty metres out.

King missed a further penalty opportunity after thirty minutes and Brixham opened their account three minutes later when fly half Ben Lovell landed a penalty goal after Chosen had come in at the side of a ruck.

With half time approaching in-form Chosen winger Yemm added a second unconverted try after a flowing move involving forwards and backs sent him charging over in the corner. Brixham responded in injury time with their first try of the match, scored by number eight Martin Browne who was driven over after a well worked catch and drive lineout five metres out. Lovell converted to narrow the gap to just three points.

Pitch conditions worsened in the second half and after fifty minutes Brixham crossed for what proved to be the decisive score. The visitors kicked a penalty to touch and again used a rehearsed lineout move which saw second row Luke Maggs peel off and drive over for an unconverted try that gave his side a two point lead.

The rest of the match saw both sides searching for a further scores but conditions were by now so heavy under foot and defences so strong that creative back play became near impossible. In the last ten minutes Chosen had three opportunities to win the match but on each occasion the heavy mud made place kicking extremely difficult and King’s penalty goal attempts went either just wide or short of the posts. Despite the loss, Chosen’s form and team work continues to improve and next week they travel down to Devon to take on second placed Newton Abbot.