Rampant Villagers up to third (From Dorset Echo)

Rampant Villagers up to third

8:17am Tuesday 17th January 2012 in Rugby

PUDDLETOWN 81 WINCANTON 0

THIS was a game which showed just how wide the gulf between the top and bottom of Dorset & Wilts Two South has become this season, as the Villagers crushed their Somerset visitors with a 13-try whitewash to move back into third place, writes Geoff Puryer.

After running unbeaten leaders Oakmeadians Seconds so close in the previous week’s thriller, the home side were keen to get back to winning ways with a similar performance, but had been warned against any complacency given the potential, sooner or later, for a Wincanton revival, and indeed in the first few minutes that anxiety showed as they struggled to put any phases together.

But it quickly became apparent that while the visitors demonstrated they could compete on equal terms up front, they had little to offer in open play, and were easily stretched defensively, so after centre Josh Hiscock had settled the nerves by twice breaching the line to put the Villagers 10-0 ahead, they started to relax and move the ball about with some purpose.

Second row John Moise was next to break through and cross under the posts, with skipper Tom Yeatman adding the first of his eight successful conversions, before wing James House secured the bonus point with a strong run down the line.

Fly-half Toby Musgove then made space for himself with a dip of the shoulder, darting through the gap to touch down.

Full-back Marcus House scored next after a fine run, before setting up brother James for his second – their tries sandwiching a clever solo effort from Yeatman himself.

With a 48-0 lead at the break, the home side started to ring the changes, using their large squad to full advantage and, while this slowed the momentum somewhat, their superiority was such that the scores kept coming.

Five minutes gone and James House completed his hat-trick when he was unselfishly sent clear by Hiscock, before the ever-improving flanker Matt Watts burst through for his second try in as many games.

Into the final quarter and centre Ryan Snook, on as a second-half replacement, showed his class with a brace of tries, the scores coming either side of one from Dan Udell on the other wing who, after several strong runs, finally got the better of his man with a sprint into the corner.

Dorset Piddle Brewery Man of the Match: James House