An inexperienced third team travelled to Weston Hornets on Saturday for their first league game of the season in Somerset Two South.
Following their league win last year and subsequent promotion, they knew that life at this higher level would be tough and so it proved against a strong Hornets team.
Hornets finished second last year and have clear aspirations to finish one better this year. Their large, experienced pack dwarfed the Norton youngsters, the majority of whom were under twenty years of age. Despite there being a significant mismatch in size there was no faulting the Norton effort with the young side doing their utmost to keep the hosts at bay.
Luis Deville was tigerish at the tackle area and was helped out by efforts from fellow colts, Tony Teall and Mitch Rose. Scott Goddard was also prominent in the loose. Behind the pack the two wingers, Dan Haimes and Ben Murphy, made some telling tackles, alongside the rock solid James Lake at full back. Centre, Louis Jones, looked dangerous with the ball in hand, but Norton had to battle hard for every scrap of possession.
The hosts’ size and strength meant that they were able to control possession for long periods and their superiority allowed them to earn a well-deserved bonus point win. Their large squad also enabled them to maintain momentum when Norton began to tire. Norton, however, can take a great deal of credit for their never say die attitude which bodes well for the rest of the season.