Avon Win Away at Melksham in Quarter Final Cup Match

Avon set aside their disappointment with the RFU refusal to allow them to play their last league match of the season last Saturday and turned their focus instead onto this Bath Combination Vase quarter final on Tuesday evening.

Their opponents Melksham were champions of Counties 2 Dorset & Wilts Central and hadn’t lost a league match all season. Meanwhile Avon had finished 3rd in Counties 2 Somerset, thus setting up an intriguing cup clash.

It proved to be an exciting cup tie played in front of a large crowd at Melksham where the home side soon showed their credentials as they outflanked the Avon defence for Louis Symons to touch down. Alistair Smith added the extras.

Avon responded soon after with a huge line out drive before emergency 2nd row Ben Hurd burst through the despairing tackles to power over the try line. With Jonny Batchelor slotting the conversion, the scores were level and Melksham realised they were in a competitive game.

Melksham created their 2nd try by exploiting some poor tackling before a lovely offload popped the ball out to Sam White to stroll over. Again Smith converted.

Avon then launched a well-rehearsed three quarter move with blindside winger Iain Parris scything 60 metres down field, only to be felled just short of the line by a high tackle. The referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try to again the level the scores.

With Avon increasingly on top up front, Dan Griffin again soared high to set up another monstrous line out drive covering 30 metres before it was collapsed just short. A few plays later, Avon took the lead as Batchelor kicked a penalty on the stroke of half time.

The second half saw Avon start to take control, led by some powerful runs from Xander Hall-Davis up front and Zak Harwood in midfield. Two more powerful forward drives sucked in the home defence before the ball was released to the backs. A switch move in the middle almost paid dividends and the resulting quick ball was swiftly recycled for Batchelor to cruise over the try line, again adding the conversion.

At 10 points adrift, Melksham needed to chase the game but were repelled by excellent defence from the black and amber visitors. Replacements Chris Mutlow and Stu Dilloway made welcome returns to action after lengthy absences and Jack Moore also made his mark off the bench.

With the match nearing completion, scrum half Kiddie Skeikh was rewarded for an excellent display by scampering up an undefended blind side from a scrum to touch down Avon’s 4th try and complete a hard-earned 29-14 victory.

In the huddle afterwards, Coach Kai Harwood congratulated his squad for overcoming tricky opponents. Whilst there were many candidates for man-of-the-match, it was a popular decision to make the award to Ben Hurd for his enduring commitment and will to win.

In the semi-final (date to be confirmed), Avon will travel the short distance across the city to take on Oldfield at Shaft Road.