Somerset Vikings 42, Bristol Sonics 12 (From This is The West Country)

Somerset Vikings 42, Bristol Sonics 12

1:00pm Friday 17th August 2012 in Sport

SECOND and third placed Somerset Vikings and Bristol Sonics put on an entertaining display of Rugby at Bridgwater for the right to contest the West of England Grand final against Oxford Cavaliers on Sunday (August 19).

Bristol opened the more lively and were first to score through Tristian Moore after just five minutes but the Vikings soon took the lead when Fatu Lahu crossed the Sonics line and Dan Hinton was successful with the conversion. The Vikings gradually took control with experienced half backs Mark Lees and Chris Richards taking full advantage of their forwards domination of the visitors pack.

The Sonics had their moments and were unlucky to have a try disallowed for a knock on before Brian Webb went on a surging diagonal run to score the home sides second try. Webb scored again but Bristol countered with their second try through Jack Gibson just before half time to leave the Somerset Vikings ahead by 14 points to 8 at the break.

Bristol needed to make a good start to the second half.

It did not work out that way. Fatu scored two quick tries displaying a turn of speed to cut through the Sonics defence leaving Lees and Hinton to add the extras.

A spell of Sonics pressure followed and they were denied only by some sterling defence in which Royston Grimstead and Gavin Knight were prominent.

With the Sonics in the driving seat it was cruel that a misplaced pass was intercepted by Webb who hacked on and, collecting the ball himself, ran fully 70 metres to score in the corner and complete his hat trick.

Bristol were not finished and Joe Singleton crossed the line for their third try of the afternoon.

As the visitors tired the Vikings resumed the control they had enjoyed for most of the game. Fatu added his fourth try for Hinton to convert and then a fine passing movement started by John Ferguson and carried on through Darren Horne and Mark Lees left Dan Hinton to score under the posts. Hinton duly took his personal score for the afternoon to 12 points with the conversion.

Somerset are now in the west of England league final which is against Oxford on Sunday.

This is the first year the Vikings are in this new league after progressing up only this this year, winning the lower South-West League last year, clinching the win against Oxford in the final in their first season would be unprecedented .