WITH the pitches at Trowbridge still unplayable, the delayed final pool match in the Wiltshire Cup was moved to Chippenham.

After four weeks with no rugby, both teams took to the field itching to get some game time under their belts. A good match was anticipated and the players did not disappoint.

From the whistle, Trowbridge took the game to Chippenham and immediately started to apply pressure at the breakdown.

With Trowbridge dominating the early rucks and Chippenham the scrums, the first 10 minutes of the game remained stuck in midfield with neither side able to make much headway.

However, on the occasions when the ball did pop out of the forward battle, it was the Chippenham back line that looked the most threatening.

With the heavy conditions, one or two handling errors crept in from both teams and a series of scrums gave Chippenham a slight advantage.

The first try came when number eight Brown went blind off the back of a scrum and sprinted upfield to score.

This was successfully converted by Taylor and Brown then repeated the trick for the second.

Twelve points down, Trowbridge continued to push forward and some ill-discipline from Chippenham resulted in a series of penalties from which Trowbridge were unlucky not to come away with points.

However, after a brief team talk, Chippenham regained their composure and eventually built up a head of steam.

From a series of rucks and mauls they slowly moved the ball upfield and eventually it came out to Grahame who showed the defence a clean pair of heels twice in quick success as he raced up the touchline to score Chippenham’s third and fourth tries.

Chippenham’s backs were now well and truly in the game and despite Trowbridge’s forwards continuing to punish their opponents heavily at the breakdown, the backs got sufficient ball to put in some good probing runs. The fifth try came from another scrum when the ball was passed along the back line to Treacy. He put in a superb last-minute inside pass to Parry who slid in over the line. The sixth came when Trowbridge attempted to kick the ball out of defence but it was charged down and fell straight to Treacy who ran through the defence and again passed the ball off to Parry to run in, Taylor adding his second conversion of the morning.

The battle of the forwards continued but with positions reversed – Trowbridge dominating the scrums and Chippenham the rucks.

Chippenham somehow worked the ball up to the five metre line and, from a series of pick and drives, got themselves to the line. It was left to Waddington to scoop up the ball and add another five points.

Their final score of the morning was also Brown’s hat-trick.

The forwards went back into pick and drive mode and worked the ball along the line.

Trowbridge were expecting another cycle in the same direction but the ball was passed back inside for Brown who ran in the try.

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