Yatton vs Torquay

11 6

Yatton Scorers - Try W Roach Pens 2 T Hill

’Rusty Yatton hold on’.

Mainly due to weather conditions Yatton’s 1^st XV had not played for the previous three weeks and the rustiness of kicking away hard fought possession showed it, but they were in ‘valentine pink’ at the final whistle.

Torquay had advantage of the slight slope on a sticky pitch during the first half. In set pieces both sides were evenly balanced with the home side taking a few against the head and the visitors quick to wheel the scrum.

After ten minutes the visiting fullback converted a penalty and Tony Hill, playing out of position as fly half, did likewise at 20 minutes for Yatton.

Five minutes before halftime Torquay’s attacking five yard scrum beneath the posts was foiled by the mess that ensued after Yatton wheeled. But the visitor’s pressure in Yatton’s 22 eventually paid off with another penalty deep into injury time, giving them an advantage of 6-3 at the interval.

Within minutes of the second half a disputed penalty for Torquay skimmed wide and tempers frayed minutes later resulting in a player from each side being yellow carded.

As Yatton broke down field, Hill’s long distance kick brought the penalty conversion and levelled the score line.

Immediately at the restart a Torquay player was instantly binned for mistiming his tackle on the still airborne Yatton ball catcher.

Five minutes later second row, man of the match, Will Roach was aided across the oppositions try line in the corner by a bulldozing James Grimes.

Torquay missed two kickable penalties in quick succession and these proved to be expensive in the closely fought encounter, but it was Yatton who were on the attack beneath the cross bar when the final whistle was blown at the end of 12 minutes extra time.

Yatton and Torquay used the opportunity to wear pink colours for this Valentines Day and raised £940 for Cancer Research.

This Saturday Yatton 1sts travel north of Bristol to St Marys. The 2nds have Stothert & Pitt and the 3rds are down the road against Clevedon.

On Sunday the Under 17’s are scheduled away to Harlequins, the Under 14s travel to St Brendens and all the Junior sides stay at home entertaining Nailsea Backwell.