Western Counties West
Torquay Athletic 35, Chard 12

AFTER their fine win against Tiverton last week, Chard should have been confident of going to Torquay and getting a result, writes Glyn Hughes.

Once again, however, on their travels, they fell well short of victory and have now only recorded one win on the road in the whole of 2017. 

Coach Jim Wagstaff was a frustrated man after the game and felt the team had taken a step forward last week but two steps back after this performance. 

Once again, Chard had been forced to make a lot of changes both positionally and in personnel and the team did not have its full quota on the bench. 

The lads who came in to the team did their best but struggled against some useful runners in the Torquay team.

Torquay scored two tries in the opening ten minutes with winger Aaron Graham and flanker crossing the line. 

Fly half Ashworth converted both. 

Lock forward James Norrish got a third try again converted by Ashworth before a spirited response from Chard resulted in Luke Hill crossing for a fine try which was converted by Emile Syzdelko to make it 21-7 at the break.

Chard put up a better performance in the second half and Luke Hill added a second try but Torquay crossed for two more converted tries through Graham and full-back James Wood. 

Several Chard players deserve a mention, notably Hill, Joe Mainwaring, Scott Johnson, Warren Lewis and Jason Wright.

On Saturday, Chard host Burnham (ko 2.30pm).

Somerset 2S
Chard 2nd XV 12, Wells 38

CHARD had to put up a somewhat older team than usual with 15 of the 18 players qualifying for the veterans and young Joel Ingarfield taking to the field for his first game of club rugby. 

The first score came from a real team effort when the forwards secured the ball and sent it wide through the hands to Gavin Watts, who went over the line, and a pinpoint conversion was scored by Mark Lees.

Wells came straight back at Chard, putting their own scores on the board. 

Watts was soon over the line again for Chard but Wells proved that their fitness was perhaps a little better and they began to break through the defence on occasion and made it count.

Chard - 1 Mike Summers, 2 Danny Spookes, 3 Gavin Smillie, 4 Brian Sugar, 5 Richard Lovelock, 6 Ben Lock, 7 Adam Moore, 8 Martin Carnell, 9 Neil Lees, 10 Mark Lees, 11 Joel Ingarfield, 12 Andrew McKerrow, 13 Gav Watts, 14 Noah Carnell, 15 Dean Lewis, 16 Dave Tucker, 17 Eric Singleton.

In Somerset 3S, Chard 3rds were given a walkover in their match against Wincanton,who could not raise a team.

Next Saturday, they visit bottom of the table side Yatton.