Blunder ref awards beaten College victory
7:00am Wednesday 24th October 2012 in Latest Sport News By Ned Payne
SWINDON College Old Boys lost 19-17 to Hungerford on Saturday - at least everyone except the referee thought so. The match official scored the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier contest 17-16 to Old Boys even despite both sides informing him it was not correct. However, the result has now been amended after the league was informed.
Old Boys manager Martin Peaple said: “We lost the game 19-17 but the referee got the score wrong, at the end of the game he scored it 17-16 to us.
“He wouldn’t change it even though we and Hungerford tried to tell him. He wouldn’t have it. I presume he didn’t mark down one of their penalties.
“That caused a few problems but it’s all been sorted, we’ve spoken to the league and they have changed the result.”
Dan Cooper touched down for Old Boys early on and late on in the game with the home side trailing, Greig O’Brien returned to action for the first time in three years following a knee injury.
He crossed the whitewash within minutes of coming on before setting up Luke Wills for a third, which was converted. In Southern Counties South there were miserable weekends for Supermarine and Wootton Bassett, who failed to scored a single point.
Bottom club Supermarine were demolished 76-0 at Weymouth and Wootton Bassett lost 17-0 at home to Trowbridge. Marlborough were too strong for hosts Minety in Dorset & Wilts 1 North as they wrapped up a convincing 32-5 victory in muddy conditions.
The visitors made the perfect start with a try from Nick Clarke before the game was two minutes old. Nathan Morgan kicked a penalty and teammate Hugh Sutcliffe squeezed in for a try in the corner after a chip to the touchline from one of his centres.
A basketball-style overhead pass inside soon put Taniela Delaitamana away for Marlborough’s third try, and Morgan’s kick was good. Minety skipper Tom Fitzcharles missed an easy penalty goal late in the half, but promptly made up for it with a skilfully executed try.
The sides turned round with the score at 20-5 to Marlborough, and they increased that advantage after the restart when Dave Lemon touched down after an attacking five-metre scrum.
A fine passing move from the halfway line set up Clarke for the final try of the game with 50 minutes played.
In Dorset & Wilts 2 North, Fairford ran out comfortable 45-8 winners at Cricklade.
The hosts defended desperately in the first half and managed to mount only a couple of attacks of their own, but they could not breach the visiting defence.
At half time Cricklade were 13-3 down and although they improved after the break, the visitors came charging back with three tries and a penalty. Dan Bown crossed the whitewash for the home side, only for Fairford to run in two more tries.
Cricklade nearly got another consolation score after Mike Murray danced past several tackles before offloading to skipper Harris, but it was adjudged as a forward pass.
Meanwhile, Chippenham were left frustrated after losing 31-33 to Brixham in National League 3 South West.
