Combe Down open home programme with nine-try rout of Amesbury

Grassroots rugby action from Saturday 27th September – and the Saturday 4th October fixtures for local XVs.

Avon – here sporting their centenary season shirts – will return to Counties 2 Tribute Ale Somerset action on Saturday 4th October | Photo © Avon RFC

Combe Down bagged nine tries as they swept to a 55-5 home win over Amesbury in Counties 2 Tribute Ale Dorset & Wilts North on Saturday 27th September.

Having conceded their Counties 2 Championship Round 1 tie at Yeovil the previous week and with six changes to the side that beat hosts Westbury 43-3 in the league on Saturday 13th September, Combe had early concerns about losing fluency.

However, the Down’s scrum asserted its authority from the start against Amesbury, providing a powerful platform from which to launch attacks.

Although a few errors allowed the guests into Combe’s 22, the defence stood firm with big hits to keep them out. That defensive stand set the tone, and soon momentum shifted.

The Down’s man-of-the-match, Dean Priestman, lit up the game with a blistering 70-metre break before opening the scoring. And then the floodgates opened.

Dar Nesbit, Tarun Zachariah and Gareth Williams all crossed to secure the bonus point before half-time, the latter two scorers claiming their first tries for the club at Holly’s Corner.

Priestman then powered over for his second touchdown as the home scrum marched their opponents backwards.

The half-time message to the Combe players was simple: raise the tempo and intensity. The players responded immediately, with Priestman completing his hat-trick straight after the restart.

Then debutant Freddie Sefton-Moore fielded the kick-off deep in his own half, spotted a gap and stepped past the chasing defenders before racing to halfway. An offload to Jones opened up space to attack.

Jones played the ball to Oli Docherty, who surged clear before linking the ball back inside, finally finding Williams who accelerated away to score under the posts.

Williams went on to complete a hat-trick before Jay Fenton-Springer finished off another sweeping move that began on the hosts’ try line.

Elis Jones and Nesbit completed Down’s points tally with conversions.

To Amesbury’s credit they battled until the end and were rewarded with a deserved late consolation try.

Table-topping Combe’s coach Jimmy Rees said: “It was great to start our home league campaign with a strong win.

“We know we have a target on our backs, so to come away with such a convincing performance is fantastic.

“With so many changes, it shows the depth and talent in this squad. A huge well done to everyone who pulled on the shirt.”

The game was set to be played on Saturday 6th September but was postponed due to Amesbury’s pre-season schedule being disrupted by pitch issues.

Meanwhile, the league table suggests a win for Walcot when they visit Devizes on Saturday 4th October in the third round of matches in Counties 1 Tribute Ale Southern South.

The Lansdown-based outfit have won both of their games in the Level 7 division, collecting the four-try bonus point each time, and lie in third spot.

But Devizes have lost their two fixtures and sit in eighth place, with just a pair of bonus points to their name.

Other than Combe Down, no local XVs were in league action on Saturday 27th September.

Local teams’ fixtures for Saturday 4th October:

• Counties 1 Tribute Ale Southern South: Devizes v Walcot.
• Counties 2 Tribute Ale Somerset: Avon v Hornets 2nd XV, Clevedon v Oldfield Old Boys.
• Counties 2 Tribute Ale Dorset & Wilts North: Combe Down v Bradford-on-Avon.
• Counties 3 Tribute Ale Somerset North: Yatton v Old Sulians.
• Counties 3 Tribute Ale Dorset & Wilts Central: Avonvale v North Dorset 2nd XV, Frome 2nd XV v Combe Down 2nd XV.