CLUBS RECALL 1980/81 CLASH AS NEW NATIONAL CUP COMPETITION GETS UNDER WAY
The long-awaited(?) Cup Competition has finally arrived – this match was only announced last week but is an attempt by the RFU to shore up what was going to be a short season – it still might be for some. Whereas it was originally intended that all clubs competing would have at least four matches for this Cup, then the competition has been reduced to a straight knock-out. The idea is to group sides from similar league positions and at similar league levels to produce a fairly even competition. Accordingly, Gordano – our visitors – finished 9th in Regional 2 Tribute Severn and we of course finished bottom of the corresponding Western Section.
Reference to the 1980/81 encounter is a SCRFU second round Cup match played at Gordano School on Sunday 2 November 1980 when Gordano beat Albion 6-0. Your scribe recalls making a replacement appearance in the 70th minute with a score already 0-6 and being unable to do anything to turn that around. Albion had beaten Frome 24-13 in the first round of that season’s competition having lost the 1980 final to Midsomer Norton. Just to put the match in perspective, then on the Wednesday before the Cup match, Albion have played Fleet Air Arm and won 15-0 and on the Saturday met Weston-super-Mare away and won 3-0. For Gordano who were founded in 1969 this was a considerable scalp and in the years to come, they competed well in the Somerset Cup and were runners up in 1985 and 2000 both against Old Redcliffians 928 and 6-23 respectively – the latter match being played at Bridgwater & Albion. More recently, they were winners of the Somerset Vase beating Old Bristolians 31-7 in 2012 and were runners up in that competition to Chew Valley 5-16 in 2013.
The irony of that 1st XV defeat in the Cup was that later the same season, our United XV picked up Gordano in a fixtures pool and on 28 February 1981 played them at Victoria Park winning 7-6. After Exell kicked two penalties for Gordano to lead 6-0 the Bridgwater scrum worker Berry popped over a drop goal to reduce the arrears before half-time. In a tight second-half it was the scrum-half who created space around the front of the line-out for wing Harry Fry (he of later cider fame) to squeeze in at the corner for the winning points.
We welcome Gordano to College Way today for the first competitive match since that Cup round in 1980. However, Gordano did play a pre-season friendly here in August 2021. Gordano have mainly contested the Somerset leagues but gained promotion to Western Counties North but were relegated several years ago and then our 2nd XV have met them in Somerset Premier and in some excellent encounters. In 2016/17 Gordano were successful 34-29 here and 41-18 alongside the M5. In the following season they also completed the double 38-10 and 29-22 in a season when they won Somerset Premier with a fine 21-3 record and were promoted back to Western Counties North. Due to leagues restructuring at the end of last season, Gordano were promoted to Level 6. This season in the Severn section of that level, then as with most promoted sides, they have struggled but are safe with a 5-15 record and the experience will no doubt do them proud for next season. We wish them well today and the winners can of course look forward to another match next week.
Bridgwater & Albion wound down their league season with an improved performance but alas a further defeat 15-30 against Wellington here three weeks ago. It therefore appears that we will be looking at life in Western Counties West next season with some substantial travelling to the depths of South Devon and Cornwall – even more than this season. We will await our fixtures with some trepidation.
UNITED XV JUST PIPPED BY LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Our United XV continuing their excellent form of this second-half of the season – just went down 20-22 to the Counties 3 Somerset South champions Huish Tigers at Ash Meadows last Saturday. Taking a 12-0 lead through two typical swashbuckling Mahoney tries, Albion controlled the first half. However Huish showed why they are champions and came back strongly in the second half and were leading 22-15 with a few minutes left. Graham Slorrance then bashed over but alas the conversion failed. A fine performance but somewhat marred by injuries to two of our players in incidents where if a TMO had been involved, then maybe there would have been a fluttering of cards but alas no penalties or anything else. Roger Drabble in particular suffered cheek and eye socket injuries which required hospital treatment and Steve Ward also suffered a big hit.
The United XV has shown commendable spirit and after the earlier tribulations of finding it difficult to field a side earlier in the season, have bounced back excellently finishing the season with 9 wins and 9 defeats. If you add back the 20 points deducted for failing to fulfil those early games and thinking that we would probably have won two of those matches, then the extra 30 points would have thrust us into fourth place in the league. The regular United XV boys are to be congratulated on turning the season around in some style and this must be a good sign for next season.
WOMEN’S XV FINDING IT TOUGH
After securing a 19-19 draw at Devizes our Ladies XV have found the going tougher against both Dings Crusaders and Chew Valley – suffering some heavy defeats. Chastened certainly but not dispirited and with more games to come.
NEXT MATCHES ON THIS GROUND
At present none are scheduled but today’s result may influence our season’s continuation – watch this space.
CLUB AWARDS EVENING
This event now back on the calendar is due to take place on Friday 5 May. We are looking for a good crowd – this event has been missing for the last few seasons – tickets at £25 each available from the club.
