Melksham 1st team travelled to league leaders Combe Down on Saturday, to play in heavy greasy conditions.
The home team were straight into the attack in the first quarter, kicking to the corner from a visitor penalty, then executing a powerful catch and drive to gain the first converted score. Combe maintained the pressure playing in the Melksham half and were rewarded with another five points after breaking a tackle to score under the posts.
The visitors rallied, creating pressure of their own in the Combe half, Luke Cador finally pouncing on a ball hacked on by Kieran Jenkins. Melksham penalised again at scrum time and Combe struck quickly with a tap and go to take the score to 19-5 at half time.
The game was strewn with injuries with physio Paul Cador, a very busy man throughout the game, tending to both teams. The second half was a rolling contest of both teams trying for the next score. Pressure was going to and fro until the final quarter when a sustained attack from the home team was turned away time and time again, with a very solid defensive display from the visitors, repelling the determined home team forwards. Prop, Alex Cox, was carrying back three attackers on his own at one point.
No points were scored at all in the second half due to the defensive strengths of both teams; the half time score standing at full time 19-5. Luke Wilkins awarded man of the match.
John Hurn
