Marlborough 39 – 18 Trowbridge
Marlborough and Trowbridge, who were both promoted from South Counties South last season, met early in the season to renew their local rivalry.
The game started well for Marlborough, Pio Tuwai caught the kick off and was straight on the attack. He quickly moved the ball out to Ben Fulton and some slick handling by the home team backs put Avenai Cakaunitavuki away, he ran onto the ball at full pace and powered through the defence to finish off the move. Outside half Tom West got the conversion for an early 7-0 lead. The two sides exchanged a couple of penalty kicks as the score moved onto 10-3. The second try of the game came after 11 minutes when a superb move from the home team involving all their backs and a sublime off load from Tuwai put Cakaunitavuki in for another try, again West converted and the score had moved onto 17-3.
It wasn’t just the home team’s backs who had started well, the forwards also had dominance in the scrums and were winning good ball at the break downs. Within 5 minutes of the 2nd try, the home side scored again and a good forwards try came as they picked and drove at the Trowbridge team, Henry Webster, who put in a very good performance around the pitch all game, was able to get over in the corner. The conversion was missed but the score was now 22-3.
The Trowbridge kicker got a very good penalty kick after 25 minutes for 22-6. The visitors did enjoy some sustained pressure as the half ended and their persistence was rewarded with a converted try near half time and at the break the score was 22-13.
The second half was much more of scrappy affair and there were lots of reset scrums and penalties as the game became very stop/start. The disrupted flow of the game didn’t stop a good try from Mitieli Vulikijapani who cut inside off a good pass by Fulton to secure the bonus point. Joeli Radovu scored on the hour mark and soon after Tuwai got a try when he crossed the line after some good work at the breakdown by James Farrell and Jamie Pittams, plus the versatility of half backs Moree Nailago and Tom West who reversed their positions to set him up. West got the very difficult conversion from wide out and with a difficult wind to move the score to 39-13. The home side had a frustrating end to the game and some persistent offences meant a couple of yellow cards. West got the very difficult conversion from wide out and with a difficult wind to move the score to 39-13. The home side had a frustrating end to the game and some persistent offences meant a couple of yellow cards. Trowbridge capitalised and scored a late try to end the scoring at 39-18.
Marlborough now look forward to the away trip to Wimborne next weekend.