CHEW VALLEY beat Bath University 36-24 to win the Somerset Cup for the first time.

Valley, fielding a mix of players from across all three senior teams, fell behind when, after an effective maul, a crossfield kick to winger Chris Dunstan from outside half James Beverley produced a try in the corner on seven minutes. A strong run from Joe Webb forced a penalty which Tom Bryan converted.

No 8 Daniel Brooker carried hard to the 22 and a penalty came converted by Bryan to make it 6-5 on 13 minutes.

Scrums were a problem for the students and from a set piece on half way skipper Dan Gatton sent a long pass to Bryan and his outside break put winger Harry Stride in for a try converted by Bryan.

The students looked dangerous with ball in hand and a penalty in front was put to the corner on 20 minutes. With 11 in the lineout a maul try looked certain but somehow prop Dean Brooker came away with the ball and in the hands of Bryan he went to the opposition 22 and Stride only had to gather his chip to score but the bounce beat him.

After a Brooker clean out there was a dust up. Dean saw yellow as did one of their back row. A penalty to the corner was mauled close and scrum half George Chapman went blindside to put Stride in at the corner to make it 18-5.

Jonny Eves won a penalty scrum and a Matt Blacker lineout take and a proper maul walked Monk in for a try with Bryan converting.

Flanker Tom Waddington, a founder member of Chew Valley juniors 30 years ago put Dean Brooker into. A gap and after some sharp interplay Stride went in for his third to make it 30-6 at half time.

The students struck first after No.8 Ollie Radly made ground to feed centre Will Rue. James Beverley at 10 converted. Rue broke a tackle on 52 minutes to score with Beverley converting.

An an error in clearing their lines and a maul try on 60 minutes made it 'game on' with the Beverley conversion made it 30-24. Bryant kicked a penalty to make it 33-24.

With Eves back on normal service was resumed as experience told over youth the scrum was sound and an early engage repeat offence gave Bryan a shot on 75 minutes to take it to 36-24.