Davies kicks Trowbridge to historic victory

4:13pm Monday 6th October 2008

Salisbury 17, Trowbridge 22

TROWBRIDGE gained a first ever win against Salisbury at first XV level on Saturday and gave themselves a huge lift as they attempt to survive in their first season in South West Two East league rugby.

The first ever league fixture at first team level between the sides since the leagues started in 1987 was a game of two contrasting halves.

Playing with the wind at their backs and up the slope the opening quarter was all Salisbury. They hit the visitors with such ferocity that Trowbridge hardly had an opportunity to get their hands on the ball. What little possession they did get was often wasted by aimless kicks into the wind or turned over at rucks on the ground.

It was during this period that Salisbury scored all of their points. The first score came after five minutes when good interchange by the home backs resulted in their fly half Tom Morton scoring beneath the posts. Liam Gilbert added the conversion.

Trowbridge were conceding numerous penalties as they attempted to deny Salisbury possession and a stricter referee would have put offenders in the sin-bin for 10 minutes. Fortunately only one penalty goal was in a kickable position and converted by Gilbert.

The next score came as a result of Trowbridge loosing possession close to their line, number 8 Gilbert scoring under the posts and adding the conversion.

The rest of the half was spent mostly in the Trowbridge 22. The one positive the visitors could gain from this period was their defence, as they repelled numerous Salisbury attacks. Trowbridge were fortunate to be only 17 points down at the break and the travelling supporters feared the second half would bring more of the same.

Whatever coach Mac McHugh said at half-time had an impact on the approach of the Trowbridge team in the second half. The visitors conceded an early penalty which Gilbert attempted to convert, but his kick was blown wide by the wind.

Thereafter the Green Lane outfit started to come back into the game. The forwards won possession and the threequarters started to play some of the adventurous moves seen in previous games. From one such move Ashley Chalk scored a try in the corner which was magnificently converted by Lloyd Davies from the touch line.

It was now the turn of the home team to earn the referee's wrath as they started to concede penalties. Davies was in top kicking form and kicked three penalties to bring the score to 17-16. Trowbridge were now in the ascendancy and it was no surprise when they took the lead from another Davies penalty kicked from a difficult angle. Davies wrapped up the scoring with a final penalty two minutes from time to give them a win which no one foresaw at the half-time break.

The back row of David Martin, Shane Johnstone and Michael Johnston were in superb form throughout the game, but this result was a team effort and showed what can be achieved when all of the players support each other even when all appears lost.

This coming Saturday Trowbridge entertain top-of-the-table Reading at Green Lane for a first ever meeting between the clubs.

The Reading club were relegated from South West One last season and will be trying to bounce back straight away. They will no doubt give the home team a severe test.

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