Hornets RFC took on Bournville at The Nest this Saturday but narrowly came up short despite scoring more tries than the visitors in their last home game of the season.
On paper the clash looked to be an even affair with the teams only being separated by four points in the table after having almost identical records for the season and it was, with the result being decided by only six points.
The hosts started off quickly and found themselves 5-0 up after only five minutes, a well worked move allowed Stanley Norman to break into the red zone for the Hornets, but Charlie Carter was unable to put the conversion between the sticks.
Seven minutes later Bournville replied, and it was evident the long season had taken its toll on the Hornets.
The pack were completely dominated in the scrum by Bournville who were bigger in every position, and it was after a series of penalties conceded in scrums on the Hornets line that the ref decided that a penalty try should be awarded, giving Bournville the lead 7-5.
Six minutes later the Hornets gave away another penalty, this time Bournville choosing to scrum their way into kicking range, and Rhys Williams stepped up to make it 10-5 to Bournville in the 19th minute.
Connor Baker saw a yellow card 10 minutes later in the 30th, but Charlie Carter went over the line just after to make up for his team’s reduction in men.
Josh Sheppard set up the try after picking up a loose ball from a line out and showed his huge potential to the home crowd by gliding through a gap in the defence and shipping the ball to Carter for the score, sending the teams in at the half even on 10-10.
The Hornets would go down to 14 men again three minutes into the restart, this time Simone Elrick saw the yellow, but Adam Francis crashed over the line moments later and Carter was on hand to convert to make it 17-10 to the Hornets in the 46th minute.
From here though Bournville went on a 17 to nothing run; a converted try in the 51st by Jonjo Fanning also saw kicker Williams leave the field, a penalty kick from Jacob Fewtrell in the 56th, and a converted try by Jay West in the 59th made the score 27-17 to the visitors right on the hour mark.
Joshua Sheppard managed to reply for the Hornets with a try in the 68th minute of the game and Carter kicked another conversion, bringing the scores close at 27-24, but Bournville and Fewtrell confirmed their victory by finishing off the game with another penalty kick.
With just 8 minutes left the Hornets tried to pinch the game, when the final whistle blew they were deep inside the Bournville 22, but were thwarted by stubborn defence and the game ended 30-24 to the visitors.
Although disappointed to not get the win at home the Hornets can reflect on a strong overall campaign at the Nest this season that has seen them represent the town of Weston-super-Mare on the national level, and will now look forward to the final game of the season away at Loughborough University in 2 weeks time.
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