Spirited performance
BRIDGWATER's new coach Nick Hill took heart from his team's performance at Henley, where despite suffering another loss, his team gave a spirited performance.
Just before Saturday's game started Hill lost the services of Ali Blundell, who was injured in the warm-up and is likely to be missing for several weeks.
In difficult conditions, Bridgwater started strongly and were in control of the first 20 minutes but, after missing a penalty, it was Henley who took the lead when, following good work by Pete Davies, Neil Baggett scored a try that was converted by Fulton.
A period of Henley pressure followed and, despite solid defence from Bridgwater, the hosts were eventually rewarded when scrum-half Jack Shaylor went over for a try between the posts. Fulton again converted.
Bridgwater had the chance to pull back some points just before the break but Liam Chennells saw his 40-metre penalty just miss the target.
Fulton slotted over a penalty for Henley just after the break before Bridgwater scored an impressive try through James Startk after good work by Greg Charlton. Chennells converted.
Henley extended their lead with a try through Will Jones, converted by James Combden.
A good try from Bridgwater's acting skipper, Matt Britton, was converted by Chennells but it was too late.
Hill said: "We played most of the rugby in a lot of senses to be honest.
"We were camped in their 22 for the first 20 minutes and we squandered two or three chances, whereas they had two chances and scored both.
"In the second half we made a couple of changes – we swapped Liam Chennells and Matt Richards over which seemed to make a difference because both offer different things and again we played most of the rugby.
"We made one or two slip ups, but overall we won the second half. We also had a number of injuries and ended up with two flankers on the wings and a hooker on the blind side so we were up against it, but the spirit from the lads was brilliant."
Bridgwater are without a game this weekend after their opponents in the Somerset Blackthorn Cup, Walcot, withdrew.
"In some ways this is no bad thing because we have a couple of injuries," said Hill.
"Our match against Worthing at home on November 28 is a must-win one for us.
"From now on, every game is vitally important and we have to be looking to getting as many results in our favour as we possibly can, especially home games."
Comment on this story