The Warriors knew that today’s match was going to be more of a challenge than last weeks. The hot weather and a stronger opposition were going to give the players something to think about.

The game got off to a flyer for the Warriors when, just a couple of minutes in, Mike Prestedge scored a penalty giving the home side an early lead. It was not to last as the visitors exploited a gap and missed tackle to score the first try. The successfully added the extras to extend their lead. This inspired the warriors and they came back with a score of their own, through full-back Aaron Hunt. Prestedge added the extras. This proved to be the Warriors’ last points of the half as the Centurions made use of their passing and handling skills to overtake the home side. Handling errors and penalties given away by the Warriors allowed the visitors to go in at half-time with a substantial lead. Warriors were still attacking and making decent ground but always came up against a strong defensive line that thwarted their efforts.

Half-time     South Somerset Warriors    8          Exeter Centurions      24

The second-half started just as explosively for the Warriors as the first had. They scored a quick try through Captain Lee Jones, with Prestedge adding the extras. The Centurions scored an un-converted try to try and grab the initiative back. But the Warriors showed true fighting spirit to grab another try, through Ben Madigan, with points from Prestedge. The Centurions roused themselves and came back at the Warriors with an unconverted try and then a try and conversion. Still the Warriors pressed and pressed. Their determination and running secured another try from Man of the Match Ben Madigan,again successfully converted by Prestedge. The game was heading into the last ten minutes and the heat was coming in to play. Ash Helliar scored another converted try for the Warriors which meant the gap was 1 score. The pressure from the Warriors and the tightness of the match meant that penalty effort and drop goal attempts were wasted by the Centurions. Unfortunately the tension and pressure got to the players. Dan Lock from the Centurions was sin-binned for kicking out a player on the ground and then, with less than five minutes to play Warriors’ Prestedge was sin-binned for foul play and then Richie Metcalfe was yellow carded for “ungentlemanly conduct” and then sent off, all in the space of 30 seconds, for allegedly disagreeing with the referee in a manner he took exception to. Warriors managed to hold out for the last three minutes to ensure that the result was not a walkover.

Final Score     South Somerset Warriors    32          Exeter Centurions      38

The Warriors can feel proud of today’s performance, if also a little disappointed in the manner of the scores from the opposition. The effect of today’s result needs to be taken on board by the players and used to inspire them for next week’s match. This will be another local game, against the South Dorset Giants from Weymouth. Today showed what a tough team is like to play against. But it also showed that the players who were there today are not prepared to lie down and die if decisions or the match go against them. They showed a true Warrior spirit to fight on till the final whistle.  None more so than Rob Burnell who played 70 minutes of the game with a broken wrist!

Points Scorers:

South Somerset Warriors:
Tries:     Aaron Hunt (1), Lee Jones (1), Ben Madigan (2), Ashley Hellier (1)
Goals:   Mike Prestedge (6: 1 penalty and 5 conversions).

Exeter Centurions:
Tries:    Matt Coldrey (3), Olly Chanin (2), Ben Cudlip (1), Alex Stevens (1)
Goals:   Alex Stevens (5)