Loan watch: Rowson hat-trick snatches late Dings win

Monday, February 28th 2022

Nine Bears players were in dual-registration action over the weekend, with a last-gasp defeat for Hartpury and commanding wins for Dings, Clifton and Weston-super-Mare.

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National Two South
Dings 46-41 Old Albanian

A try in the final act of the game by wing Harry Rowson secured a dramatic late victory for Dings over Old Albanian at Shaftesbury Park. The Bristol Bears duel-registered flyer raced in for a try a minute earlier and also opened the scoring for Dings.

Leading with a minute to go, the visitors looked to have done enough to win the game 41-39, after Dings fly-half Tom Price hit the post with the conversion attempt, that if successful would have tied the scores 41-41. But Crusaders had one more chance to attack. Dings held on to possession from the re-start, worked their way up the pitch through their pack, before releasing the backs to do the rest. Tom Hargan was stopped just short, but Rowson was in close support to pick the ball from the base of the ruck and dive over for a dramatic try. Price landed the extras to put the icing on the cake.

Dings got off to a flying start after Rowson sprinted in for his first try inside two-minutes. Price converted. Old A’s hit straight back with the first of two tries from lock Ashley Illston. Full-back Dan Watt converted. Price added a penalty before Dings skipper Jake Holcombe went over from a driving line-out. But it was the visitors that ended the half in the ascendency, thanks to Illston’s second try and further touchdowns from Ben Charnock and Oliver Brown to make it 22-15 to the visitors at the break.

The ebb and flow nature continued in the second-half. Dings' hooker Tom Anderson crossed for his twelfth-try of the season on 41-minutes, before flanker Chris Rovery, who impressed on his first home start for the Club since joining from Clifton, crossed for his first try in Dings colours. Dings were then awarded a penalty try after wing Tommy Foot was tackled high while in the act of scoring to take Dings 34-22 clear on the hour-mark. But back came Old A’s with tries from Kaz Henderson, Obinna Nkwocha and Watt. Watt converted two from three to give the visitors what appeared to be an unassailable 41-34 lead on 76-minutes. But Rowson’s late double secured all five-points for Dings.

Attendance: 148
Half-time: 15-22

Dings scores: Rowson 1, 79, 80. Holcombe 19, Anderson 41, Rovery 46, Penalty try 56. Conversions: Price 2, 46, 80. Penalty: Price 11.

Old Albanian scorers: Illston 6, 15, Charnock 26, Brown 30, Henderson 60, Nkwocha 68, Watt 75. Conversions Watt 7, 68, 76.

Dings: 15 Harbinson, 14 Hargan, 13 Smith, 12 Arscott, 11 Rowson, 10 Price, 9 Knight, 1 Taylor, 2 Anderson, 3 Kloska, 4 Bilton O, 5 Holcombe, 6 Bilton A, 7 Rovery, 8 Lawrence; Replacements: 16 English, 17 Slade, 18 Hodge, 19 Stapleton, 20 Foot.

Old Albanian: 15 Watt, 14 Henderson, 13 Mills, 12 Brown, 11 Jones, 10 Lound, 9 McPhun, 1 Ramzanpour, 2 Bond, 3 Samuel, 4 Illston, 5 Nkwocha, 6 Charnock, 7 Terry-Brown, 8 West. Replacements: 16 George, 17 Chamnaoui, 18 Kingswell-Watts, 19 Goodfellow, 20 Stileman.

Referee: Ricardo Santanna.

Another late defeat for Hartpury

GKIPA Championship
Hartpury University 20-21 Ampthill

Hartpury suffered another last-gasp defeat in the GKIPA Championship, with Ampthill snatching a late win at the Alpas Arena.

Hartpury were lacking their normal zip in attack, although they managed to work full-back Tommy Mathews into space for the game’s first try early in the second quarter. James Williams’ conversion made it 7-3.

Ten minutes later, Ampthill were back in front. With a penalty advantage being played, the ball was dabbed behind the home defence and Bragman, a former Hartpury player, was first to the bouncing ball, before converting his own try.

There was a scrappy period either side of the break and it was not until the 50^th minute that Ampthill were able to extend their lead with a Will Partington penalty, Bragman having become one of a number of injuries in the game.

He repeated the dose to make it 7-16 on the hour mark after a Charlie Foley tackle was deemed high and worthy of a card. A similar offence by Ampthill, minutes later, produced a penalty but no further sanction.

Williams responded with three points shortly afterwards before, finally, Hartpury made something stick when Jack Tovey scored in the corner after good hands in the backs.

In the 72^nd minute Aled Ward grabbed a third home try from close range after intense pressure but – with the league’s leading scorer Williams now off the pitch – critically, neither try was converted.

Ascherl stars as Clifton thrash Westcliff

National Two South
Westcliff 31-57 Clifton

Harry Ascherl scored in a man of the match performance as Clifton stormed to another emphatic away win.

The Bears centre crossed for the game's opening score in an eight-try thrashing on the road, as the Station Road side continued their push for promotion.

Duncan double leads the charge for Weston

Webb Ellis Somerset County Senior Cup – Quarter-final
Weston-super-Mare 60-5 University of Bath

Hooker Aaron Thompson marked his home debut for Weston-super-Mare by scoring a try with fellow Bristol Bears Academy No.8 Macenzzie Duncan grabbing a brace as the Seasiders ran in nine tries against the University of Bath to comfortably progress to the semi-finals of the Webb Ellis Somerset County Senior Cup.

In a game in which there was plenty of fine running rugby, Weston took the lead in the fifth minute when after lots of hands, full-back Jack Curtis stepped in and out before offloading to fly-half James Mackay to open the scoring.

The University hit back with a well-taken try by full-back Zach Rodber which proved their only points.

Scrum-half Ross Bennett stole the ball at a scrum and gained a penalty which Mackay converted.

Weston then scored a superb try when thrusts by Duncan, and Thompson ended with Mackay offloading to right wing Ollie Walrond to cross for a try converted by Mackay. Weston added points after a break by Walrond, which was carried on by left wing Joe Burgess, who cut in and passed to Ash Russell.

The second row slowed and pivoted with a lovely switch back to Burgess, which created a two on one allowing centre Chris Young to cross wide out. Another fine set of hands ended with Walrond going over for his second. Mackay again converted for a 27-5 advantage at the break.

The second half dished up more excellent fare. The impressive Bennett was on the end of a superb break by flanker Jack Woodland and great hands by Young. Mackay converted but failed with the next one after the excellent Thompson handed off and went over.

Following this score, Dan Beer and Hayden Main came on for their well-deserved first-team debuts, with Main nearly scored with his first touch. However, further scores were just around the corner when Duncan touched down after a powerful scrum, and it was the No.8 who was again on the end after thrusts by Thompson and Bennett.

Young kicked the conversion. The final score came when another Duncan break ended with replacement flanker Ben Cox rounding off the scoring. It was a thoroughly entertaining afternoon in which every member of the large squad was used, and all played their part.

Weston-super-Mare scorers - tries: James Mackay, Ollie Walrond (2), Chris Young, Ross Bennett, Aaron Thompson, Macenzzie Duncan (2), Ben Cox; cons: James Mackay (4), Chris Young (2); pen: James Mackay.

University of Bath scorer – try: Zach Rodber.