Gensians after league and cup treble

Published 9 Mar 2010 12:00 0 Comments

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Alun Rise

GENSIANS

GENSIANS will be looking to complete the treble over National Three South West strugglers Maidenhead when the travel to Old Bath Road on Saturday (ko 2.30pm).

They have already chalked up big league and cup away victories against Maids and are looking to bounce back after a disappointing last gasp loss at Weston-super-Mare.

Although Gensians are out of the play-off and relegation zones, coach Alun Rise is still aiming for a respectable fourth or fifth position.

His young side have blown hot and cold this season and he admits it will take a little longer before they are the finished product.

He said: "It's a three year plan but we have made progress in several areas."

Gensians will be without unavailable skipper Tom Clare, who shone in the Weston game despite being on duty as a fireman all night.

He is replaced by young hooker Nick Dewland, while James Lack comes in at full back for his first league start of the season and Tom Allen switches to the wing.

Gensians are hoping that Welsh back row duo James Watkins and Simon Parfitt have recovered from leg injuries.

* A PENALTY eight minutes into injury time denied Gensians their first ever win at Weston.

The Old Bath Road side looked well in control at the break, leading 15-6 and with their opponents temporarily down to 14 men. However they conceded a try, two penalties and drop goal in the second half as they were edged out late on.

Coach Alun Rise confessed: "It's really frustrating after we had played so well in the first half. We should have won by at least 10 points."

Gensians dominated long periods of the first half and went in front with a gem of a try.

Rob Stapley broke down the blindside and Jez Flynn carried on the move which teenage flanker Aaron Hopkins finished.

Andy Tweedie dove over for the second Gensians try on 25 minutes which Peter Freeth converted.

Freeth then added a penalty, while Weston's excellent number 10 Glenn Dickson added two, as Gensians led by nine points after the break.

Six minutes after the turn around George Wright scored the hosts first try to close the gap before Freeth's second penalty kept the visitors 18-13 ahead.

A drop goal and a penalty from Dickson then put Weston in front by a point.

Freeth then thought he had won the game for Gensians with another three-pointer with just four minutes remaining.

But Dickson kept his nerve in injury time to steal the win for the hosts.

Gensians: Clements, Reynolds, Freeth, Tweedie; AJ Hopkins, Flynn; Saunders (Dewland), Clare, Tainton, G Davies, Root, Watkins (S Hallett), A Hopkins, Stapley. Sub not used: Matthews

* GENSIANS have rearranged their home Berks Cup semi-final against holders Bracknell for Tuesday, March 23.

Kick-off is 7.30pm and the game will be played under lights.

READING

READING will have a job on their hands at Holme Park on Saturday if they want to make it two wins out of two in National Three South West.

Opponents Old Patesians are within touching distance of clinching the runners up spot in the league and with it a place in the end of season play-offs.

When the sides met in November Reading failed to score as Pats ran out 27-0 winners.

* READING ended a run of 11 straight defeats on Saturday with a 30-12 win over National Three South West whipping boys Maidenhead.

The Braywood side have won just once this season, but made things tough for the Green Machine, leading 12-10 at the break.

However, Reading's superior ability told in the second half as they won at a canter.

Fly half Shaun Brown scored a try, a conversion and a penalty as Reading trailed by two points at the break after conceding two soft tries.

He added five more points with the boot after the break, while two tries by Taniela Bakoso and one by Samisoni Speight gave Reading victory.

READING: Dorliac(Matau 60), Bakoso, Smith, , Brooks, Speight; Brown, Goodhew; Harvey, Crowther, Le Mar, Uluikede, Taylor, Phillips (c) (Karran 40), M Davies, Heirene.

ABBEY

READING Abbey will be looking to make the most of home advantage and the return to fitness of key players when high-flying High Wycombe visit Rosehill on Saturday.

The Emmer Green-based side still find themselves right in the midst of a relegation scrap despite a real upturn in form over the last two months.

After two consecutive away fixtures Abbey return to the home comforts of Rosehill. But things could not be much tougher than a clash with play-off-chasing Wycombe, who have won six games on the spin.

However, skipper Tom Waterhouse believes his side have what it takes to give the Buckinghamshire outfit problems.

He said: "Wycombe are a big challenge but their style will suit us. We have smiles on our faces."

The Rosehill side should be boosted by the return of Tom Bryson in the back row after injury, while back division star Steve Drake is also over a hamstring problems.

Student Tom Huggins is back in the area and available after impressing at the start of the season, while Henry Williams' is likely to be rewarded for his whole hearted play with a start at hooker.

Abbey remain second bottom in South West One. However two wins would be enough to catapult them into mid-table.

* ABBEY gave a committed and spirited display at Swanage & Wareham on Saturday before eventually going down 16-12.

Two unconverted scores by the hosts put Swanage 10-0 to the good before an excellent break by Gavin Dampies on the half hour set up Ollie Heath for Abbey's first score.

Two penalties either side of half time for the hosts say them open up a 11-point lead before another excellent Abbey try put them back in the game.

Player-coach Adam Hurst took a quick tap and David Cole burst through before releasing skipper Tom Waterhouse to score. Hurst landed the conversion to put his side back within four points, but that was as close as they got.

Waterhouse admitted: "It was those two early tries that let us down, we should have got the win."

ABBEY: Waterhouse (c), Dye, Robinson, Cole, Dampies, Hurst, Heath, Waite, Woolnough, Gupta, Pawlett, Boswell, Mutepfa, Williams, Davies. Replacements: Reddy, Charlton, Anfield.

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