Avon 15 - Wells 18

Wells, fielding a young and athletic side, started strongly and showed their attacking intent but Avon opened the scoring with a lineout catch and drive that led to Jake Dixon emerging from the pile of bodies for their first try in the corner. As Avon started stringing some phases together only well organised defence prevented further scores before Wells seized on a counter-attacking opportunity to run from deep to exploit an overlap to draw level.

Shaun Wynes added a penalty and converted Jake Dixon’s second try as he repeated his exploits from another lineout drive early in the second half, leaving Avon with a seemingly comfortable lead. At this stage their pack were completely in the ascendancy, driving Wells back in the scrums, controlling the lineout possession and making inroads through powerful close quarter bursts. Then the wheels fell off.

A penalty for not releasing gave Wells a glimmer of hope and after Avon spurned an attacking penalty chance, the Wells winger intercepted a misdirected pass to sprint home from deep inside his own half for a converted try under the posts to level the scores before a penalty shortly afterwards gave them the lead.

This sparked a period of intense Avon pressure over the final 15 minutes with their pack pulverising their opponents but being let down by needless penalties, turnovers and poor decision making. Finally, with the visitors reduced to 14 men after a yellow card for numerous offences, the Avon pack were camped on the Wells line and seemed certain to score with numerous close quarter drives before taking the wrong option on a planned pushover try to allow Wells to pull off a famous victory.

Next week Avon travel to Yatton seeking to get this game out of their system.