Yatton Colts suffered defeat at home to Frome Colts in an entertaining game of rugby on Sunday.
Spectators were captivated from start to finish on the sunny October afternoon.
Yatton's defence, featuring notable players such as centre Charlie Paul, fly-half Jimmy Jackson-Patel, full-back Billy Taylor, and flankers Jamie Kinman and Ivor Malone, showed significant improvement compared to their last outing, demonstrating increased aggression and line speed.
The Yatton scrum continued to show progress, but handling issues persisted, leading to missed opportunities and turnovers.
Despite these setbacks, Yatton's grit and determination were commendable, and the team battled hard until the final whistle.
Frome began the match with strong, direct running, but Yatton's determined defence held firm initially, thwarting their opponents' early attempts to break through.
The visitors' effectiveness at securing penalties led them to opt for a kick at goal, opening their scoreline.
Following 10 minutes of competitive rugby, a loose pass from Yatton near their try line allowed Frome to score their opening try.
Yatton responded by taking play back into Frome's half and were awarded several penalties, but failed to secure lineout possession, resulting in missed scoring opportunities.
Frome then added another penalty to their tally, extending their lead.
With just a couple of minutes left in the first half, Frome scored another try, concluding the first half with Yatton trailing 0-18.
As the second half began, Yatton faced the challenge of playing up the slope and into the sun.
However, six minutes in, a kick chase by Frome was intercepted by centre Kieran Thomas, who displayed remarkable pace to sprint from well inside his half and score under the posts.
The following quarter of an hour saw three more tries from Frome, often capitalising on Yatton errors.
Despite the setbacks, Yatton persisted and were finally rewarded for their efforts.
A Frome player was stripped of the ball, leading to a surging run by Yatton's tighthead prop.
The ball was quickly passed through the hands of supporting flanker Bob Bessant, then onto winger Mo Sayce, who scored a well-deserved team try.
Yatton then maintained their defensive stance for the next 10 minutes, but a lapse in concentration in the last two minutes of play allowed Frome to score again, finishing the match with a score of Yatton 14, Frome 44.
Despite the final score, Yatton had numerous chances to narrow the gap, and the hard work of players like Fraser Lewis and second-row Isaac Dahmani was evident.
Though much of their effort resulted in lost opportunities, the team's hunger and determination to play until the end were commendable, leaving them with much to be proud of.
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