Weymouth beaten by ruthless Trowbridge (From Dorset Echo)

Weymouth beaten by ruthless Trowbridge

4:30pm Monday 11th February 2013 in Rugby By Echo Reporter

WEYMOUTH 3 TROWBRIDGE 55

WEYMOUTH were not at the races for the first time this season as they suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Trowbridge at Monmouth Avenue.

Since winning promotion to Southern Counties South in 2011-12, Paul Harding’s men have risen to the challenge and produced some outstanding performances but in this latest test they capitulated in a disappointing second half.

Head coach Harding told Echosport: “We got well beaten in the end and it was a bit disappointing.

“There was some good quality rugby played in the first half and although we were down at half-time I still felt there might be something in the game for us.

“The effort was certainly there in that opening half against a very strong and well-drilled side but in the second I felt we fell away a little bit.

“It was the first time this season that we weren’t really at the races and we had a 20-minute spell where we conceded an awful lot of points.

“I think some heads may have dropped a little bit too and the important thing now is that we pick ourselves back up straight away.”

Nick Sheppard kicked Weymouth’s points in the first half when the hosts may have had more joy had it not been for some silly errors.

Harding added: “We kept letting them off the hook through making mistakes and had we held it together a little more I think we could have put them under a lot more pressure than we did.

“We cannot afford to feel sorry for ourselves though. The step up to Southern Counties South is a big one and I always knew our run-in would be tough.

“We now need to just put this down to a learning experience and grow up quickly. Heavy defeats like this can happen at this level if your standard drops five or 10 per cent and I think that the lads know that now.

“There are some very good sides in this division and if you give them too much encouragement they will punish you – it is as simple as that.

“Now is the time for us to dig in and work doubly hard.”

Weymouth, who travel to Wootton Bassett on Saturday, now sit eighth in the table, 10 points above the bottom three.

Meanwhile, nine Colts turned out for Weymouth’s other two sides. The seconds lost 18-7 at Puddletown while the thirds went down 66-5 against Bournemouth IV.