Somerset Cup first round

Keynsham 21, Bridgwater and Albion 26

BRIDGWATER and Albion booked their place in the second round of the Somerset Cup, but not without being made to work for it by a gritty Keynsham side, writes Tony Pomeroy.

It was Western Counties North side, Keynsham, who had the best of the opening exchanges, but it was Bridgwater who took the lead with a quarter of an hour gone.

From a scrum in midfield, Bridgwater moved the ball right, where full back, Oscar Tregenna, broke through and fed Rob Allen to score, converted by Chris Ashwin from wide on the right.

From the kick-off, Bridgwater were caught in possession.

Keynsham kicked to touch and when ball was moved wide from the lineout, visiting centre, Garryn Basson was penalised and sin-binned for a high tackle.

Joe Davies reduced the deficit for the home side with the easy penalty.

From the kick off, Bridgwater exerted pressure and kicked a penalty to touch.

From the lineout, the ball was recycled twice before reaching Ali Blundell, lurking near the left touch line and he scored a short-handed, and unconverted, try in the corner.

Ollie Dunn added Albion’s third, receiving the ball on halfway and bursting through a hesitant defence for a fine individual try converted by Ashwin and a 3-19 lead.

Bridgwater almost scored again, losing the ball just short of the home line but then lost fly half Ashwin suffering from possible concussion.

Just before half-time, Dunn burst through again before being stopped by a suspiciously high tackle which ended with Tregenna getting sent to the naughty step for careless use of the elbow.

Keynsham started the second period in total control and Davies kicked a simple penalty to reduce the deficit and then a try from Ben Newman, that went unconverted and brought the score to 11-19. Bridgwater were finding it very difficult to get out of their own 22 and with them unable to prevent the penalty count rising, the pressure was on.

Davies kicked another simple penalty for 14-19 before, in a rare excursion into the home 22, with Taylor Buller missing one for the visitors.

Approaching the half hour, Keynsham deservedly went into the lead when Phil Harvey crashed over near the posts following concerted home pressure. Davies' conversion took the home side into a 21-19 lead.

Bridgwater made progress after the kick-off and when Keynsham wildly fly-hacked the ball out of defence, Bridgwater gathered on the halfway line and moved the ball right.

It reached Allen, who broke two or three attempted tackles to score under the posts, giving Buller an easy conversion and Bridgwater a 21-26 lead.

Keynsham spurned another easy three point penalty as they strove valiantly for the win but Bridgwater spent the final minutes in possession and with the aid of a couple of penalties, held out to record a very narrow victory.

Next week, Bridgwater visit the Forest of Dean to take on Drybrook before hosting the current top-of-the-table, Newent, in a game brought forward from Carnival Night to October 17.