CHIPPING SODBURY 5 MIDSOMER NORTON 48

Norton were chomping at the bit to get stuck in to some League rugby after a positive pre-season, as they travelled to Chipping Sodbury for the season opener.

After a positive start, Norton took the lead with a penalty from last year’s Player of the Season, Ben Taylor, but the home side hit back by exploiting the blindside to lead 5-3. At this point, Sodbury had a bounce in their step and felt they had the measure of the Mendip side – unfortunately for them, what followed was a fine all-round performance where Midsomer Norton dominated in every aspect of the game.

Hard-running, cutting lines with players always in support for the offloads made the most of their superior fitness and skill set. Aligned with a solid set-piece, relentless defence and tactical kicking, the men in red and white were a class above, and played some exciting rugby full of flair and fortitude. Norton’s first try came from constant pressure up front and fast hands to give Jeffery a chance to wriggle, squirm and throw out a telescopic arm to touch down. Then, at the end of the first half, Button picked up from the base and tip-toed over the line like a sixteen-stone ballerina. The score was 5-17 when the sides swapped ends.

The second half was completely dominated by Norton from the kick-off, and it only took a couple of minutes for Murphy to score in the corner in his first start at 9, controlling the game

superbly along with half-back partner, James Abbott. Then, it was the Captain’s turn, as Tom Fear crashed over after some scintillating interplay between forwards and backs. Back to Murphy for the next score, as he and Button worked an almost identical try to his first as Button gave the scoring pass.

Two more tries were to follow, as the Norton side continued to throw the ball about and create space at every opportunity. Mitchard swung out a pass that Danny Cipriani would have been proud of to give Joe Knight the ball on the wing with thirty yards to go, and he burned the outside defence to touch down. The final try came from a Button rampage down the right-hand side, starting in his own half, before Jeffery appeared out of nowhere to receive yet another offload to score under the posts.

The whole team performed extremely well, and will take confidence into the next fixture at home against Clevedon.

Steve Blackmore