CHOSEN HILL FP 13 CULLOMPTON 5
Chosen Hill’s recent improvement in form continued and a fine team performance saw them defeat seventh place Cullompton, with the only blackspot of the afternoon being the last minute shoulder injury to young winger and try-scorer Scott Claridge.
Playing up the slope, Chosen started well and for virtually all of the opening fifteen minutes they were camped inside the Cullompton half, testing the visitor’s resolute defence to the limit with wave after wave of attack.
Cullompton finally got into the Chosen half to set up their own attacking moves but outstanding Chosen defence held them out until the visitor’s forwards finally managed to drive over for an unconverted try awarded to hooker and skipper Chris Grant after twenty five minutes.
Chosen refused to let the score unsettle them and with scum half Sam Wilkinson at the heart of many of their moves they went back on the attack and they levelled the scores just before half time when the forwards combined well with a series of pick and drives ending with prop Nick Selway and flanker Ian Riddel crashing over the line together with Selway claiming the unconverted try.
With the slope now in their favour Chosen started the second half as they had the first with forwards and backs combining well to set up attacking positions within the visitors twenty two.
The pressure told and twice Chosen were awarded kickable penalties but skipper Andy King was having an off-day with his place kicking and the scores remained level until the sixty fifth minute when King produced an inch perfect cross field kick that saw winger Scott Claridge collect in the air and race over for the try. King missed the conversion but his side were now in front and when he finally landed a place kick penalty goal after seventy minutes it meant that Cullompton would have to score twice to win.
From the re-start Chosen’s flanker Tom Gyde was sent to the sin bin after a minor scuffle, meaning that his side had to see out the final nine minutes with just fourteen men, but their determination to secure the result was such that they held firm with winger Claridge typifying his side’s commitment with a huge last minute tackle which unfortunately forced him to leave the field with a serious shoulder injury.
Next Saturday Chosen travel to Avonmouth Old Boys for a match re-scheduled from 19th December.
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