CHOSEN HILL FP 20 NEWTON ABBOT 14

With scrum half Sam Wilkinson, full back Adam Claridge and openside Ryan Hawkins all making their first appearances of the season, Chosen Hill got their season back on track with a well deserved victory over second placed Newton Abbot.
Having won the toss, Chosen elected to play up the slope so it came as no surprise when the visitors took play deep into the Chosen half and they opened the scoring after six minutes with a penalty goal from outside half Mike Saxton. Five minutes later Saxton landed a second penalty goal but Chosen, who were playing with real determination, got their opening score after fifteen minutes via a penalty goal from the boot of skipper Andy King and three minutes later he landed a second penalty goal to level the scores.
With half time approaching Chosen lost centre Max Hough to an ankle injury forcing a re-shuffle of their side with second row Marc Riddel moving into the backs to replace Hough and Dean Barnard coming into the pack in place of Riddel.
Half time arrived with the scores level at six a piece and the match finely balanced.

Newton Abbot had the first chance of the second half when on forty five minutes they kicked a penalty into the corner and won the lineout but Chosen’s defence held firm and the opportunity was lost. A similar ploy ten minutes later met with the same determined Chosen defence but then Chosen were reduced to fourteen men when replacement Barnard was the unlucky player to be yellow carded for a team offside offence.
Despite this handicap it was Chosen who took the lead after sixty minutes when King landed a long range penalty goal that hit the cross bar and bounced over. Three minutes later he landed penalty goal number four, but the visitors responded with a third penalty goal from Saxton.
With ten minutes left Chosen, with scrum half Wilkinson having a fine match, launched an attack down the right wing and when Abbot winger Alex Moore was yellow carded for a high tackle on full back Claridge it was King who landed the resulting penalty for a six point lead.
Three minutes later Chosen launched the killer blow. King hoisted a high kick towards the Abbot line and set off in pursuit and when it bounced awkwardly for the vistor’s full back the Chosen skipper was on hand to dive on the ball and score the try. His conversion attempt hit the upright and bounced out but with an eleven point cushion the match was secure for Chosen.
With the last play of the game Abbot managed to cross for an unconverted consolation try but it was Chosen who took the victory and a vital two points.
Next week Chosen face a difficult away trip to Paington