Norton travelled to North Petherton for the last league game of 2016, with a depleted squad due to the continued long list of injuries. When the home side started the game strongly and quickly ran in a couple of tries, it was immediately obvious that this was going to be another hard afternoon for the team.
The set piece was even, with Bicknell and Backhurst combining with Jenner well in the front row. This ensured the ball was won on their own and pressure put on the Petherton scrum, helped by the power coming through from second rows, Fear and Goddard. The second row also produced good quality ball from the lineout with hooker, Backhurst, throwing in with precision. Norton’s problems were compounded when scrum half, Johnson, was
yellow carded, adjudged to have stopped one Petherton attack illegally. Walkes, Davis and Harper also joined the lengthening injury list.
Forwards, Denning, Fear and Jenner caused problems when they had ball in hand, but the determined Petherton defence repelled all but one attack when Tom Fear crossed the line for Norton’s sole try. Back row players, Sawkins and Davis, battled hard in the loose, but were up against a powerful North Petherton team, who recycled the ball quickly.
Stand-in fly half, Martin, tried to keep the team going forward and repeatedly released centre, Mitchard, who caused problems, cutting the home defence apart. But the support could never quite get to him before the gaps were closed. Martin also collected the team’s only other point from a penalty goal.
For the third week in a row, veteran Tiley was forced to play again, joining young players, Jeffery, Knight and Church in the back line. Although beaten by a large score, the club must be proud of the team, who never gave up and battled all the way and were clapped off of the pitch by the home supporters.
The team now has a short break and hopefully some of the injuries will have healed by the time the season starts again in 2017.