Late withdrawals and subsequent injuries meant a disjointed and disappointing display

Hornets 28 Chew Valley 12
Chew Valleys sparkling run of form came to a halt at The Nest as late withdrawals and injuries disrupted their fluid style. The bigger Hornets pack won most of the early collisions and but for a couple of breaks from Harry Stride on the wing and Tom Bryan at fullback the visitors could not hold on to the ball long enough to create the phases that normally stretch defences. A try on 20 minutes for Charlie Carter at fullback following a midfield gallop by second row Bailey Jackson and a Carter penalty was all the hosts had to show for most of the possession in the first half. Centre Joe Cowell only survived 10 minutes of his first appearance at this level and with his replacement Reece Carter off at half time flanker Grady Wright moved to centre. Replacement flanker Elliott Smith didnt last long, off with a head knock and when Hornets winger Quentin Querrti finished a flowing move in the corner on 44 minutes it didnt look good for the visitors who were strangely out of sorts. A Carter penalty on the hour stretched the lead but Chew Valley had a short period of possession thereafter and Wright ghosted through a gap on the 22 for try on 65 minutes converted by Bryan and with flanker Luke Sparkes Brown powering through a hole close to a maul on 71 minutes the gap closed to a score and an unlikely comeback on the cards. It was not to be as two tries in tbe last four minutes wrapped up the try bonus point for Hornets