Yeovil Rugby Club

YEOVIL FIRST XV 45 – 18 BRIDPORT RFC

Seven tries. Six different scorers. Five wins from six league games. One enormous statement from Yeovil Rugby Club.

They arrived at Church Lane unbeaten. Five matches played, five victories secured, and sitting proudly among the league's early frontrunners.

Bridport RFC had every reason to travel to Yeovil full of confidence.

But on Saturday 31 October, the Pigs had other ideas.

In one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures of the season so far, Yeovil First XV delivered a magnificent 45–18 victory, ending Bridport's unbeaten run and sending a very clear message to the rest of the league.

If anyone was wondering whether Yeovil were genuine contenders this season, Saturday provided a rather convincing answer.

The big occasion. The big performance.

This wasn't just another league fixture.

It was a top-of-the-table showdown between two sides enjoying outstanding starts to their campaigns.

Bridport arrived with a perfect five-from-five record, having scored freely and demonstrated their ability to grind out narrow victories when required.

Yeovil, meanwhile, had won four of their opening five matches, with their only defeat coming by just four points against Wimborne II.

The Pigs had already put together an impressive run of away victories, including a 73–0 demolition of Blandford and a 62-point performance against Frome II.

But Saturday represented a different kind of test.

Could Yeovil reproduce that attacking form against an unbeaten opponent?

Could they make home advantage count?

Could they stand up to the pressure of a genuine top-of-the-table contest?

The answer was an emphatic YES.

Seven tries and 45 points later, Bridport's perfect record was gone.

And Church Lane had witnessed a performance worth celebrating.

A familiar face on the opposite touchline

Adding another fascinating element to the occasion was the return of former Yeovil coach Jon Dicker, now coaching Bridport.

Jon knows the club, its traditions and the pride that comes with representing Yeovil.

But rugby has a wonderful habit of creating these occasions, when familiar faces return wearing different colours and old friendships are temporarily put to one side.

There was respect for the opposition, but absolutely no room for sentiment once the contest began.

Yeovil had a job to do.

And they did it in style.

Seven tries. Six different scorers. One outstanding team effort.

What makes Saturday's result particularly impressive is the variety of players contributing to the scoreboard.

This wasn't a performance dependent on one individual.

From the forwards to the backs, Yeovil had players ready to take their opportunities.

YEOVIL'S TRY SCORERS

• 🏉 Harry McHugh × 2

• 🏉 Sam Bryant × 1

• 🏉 Danny Anderson × 1

• 🏉 Josh 'Doc' Docherty × 1

• 🏉 Adam Clayson × 1

• 🏉 Cal 'Rosie' Rose × 1

Harry Froude was once again responsible for adding the extras with the boot.

Seven tries against a previously unbeaten side is no small achievement.

It demonstrates the attacking ambition, growing confidence and quality running throughout this Yeovil squad.

And with six different players crossing the whitewash, opposition coaches have an increasingly difficult question to answer:

Who exactly do you try to stop?

Harry McHugh – another Saturday, another brace

Some players have a knack for appearing in the right place at the right time.

Then there's Harry McHugh, who seems determined to make the opposition try line his second home.

Sponsored by RSC, Harry continued his excellent scoring form with another two tries against Bridport.

Having also crossed twice against Frome the previous weekend, Harry is enjoying a remarkable spell in Yeovil colours.

His contribution reflects exactly what has made Yeovil so dangerous this season: players with the confidence to take their chances and the determination to finish them.

Two more tries against an unbeaten opponent?

Not a bad afternoon's work.

Sam Bryant – the scoring machine keeps rolling

If Bridport's pre-match planning involved identifying Yeovil's danger men, Sam Bryant would surely have been high on the list.

Sponsored by Jones Building Group, Sam has been one of Yeovil's most consistent attacking threats.

After another two-try performance against Frome, he added a further score against Bridport.

The impressive thing about Sam's form isn't simply the number of tries he's scoring. It's that he's producing them week after week, against different opponents and in different conditions.

Another Saturday. Another contribution.

And another reminder of the attacking quality Yeovil possess.

Doc delivers – and takes home Back of the Match

There are certain players you want in your side when the stakes are high.

Josh 'Doc' Docherty is undoubtedly one of them.

Sponsored by Wessex Electricals, Doc has been a hugely influential figure within the Yeovil senior squad.

Against Bridport, he added another try to his growing tally, but his overall contribution was recognised with the Back of the Match award.

A big performance in a big fixture.

Doc brings experience, leadership and an ability to make his presence felt when it matters most.

With the unbeaten visitors arriving full of confidence, this was exactly the sort of occasion that called for experienced players to stand up.

And Doc certainly answered.

Terry Leonard – Forward of the Match

Every memorable victory needs players prepared to do the hard work.

The carries, the tackles, the breakdown battles and the physical contests that create opportunities for the rest of the team.

Against Bridport, Terry Leonard was recognised as Yeovil's Forward of the Match.

An excellent individual achievement in a fixture where the forwards had a crucial role to play.

Facing a previously unbeaten side demands commitment and resilience across the entire pack.

Terry's award reflects his contribution to a team performance that delivered one of Yeovil's most significant results of the campaign.

A thoroughly deserved recognition.

Anderson, Clayson and Rosie join the party

While Harry, Sam and Doc may have become familiar names on the scoresheet, Saturday also saw three other Yeovil players make their mark.

Danny Anderson, wearing the number nine shirt, added his name to the try-scoring list.

A scrum-half getting over the line in a top-of-the-table clash? That's certainly one way to make yourself popular!

Adam Clayson, named among the replacements, also crossed for a try, highlighting the importance of having players ready to make an impact throughout the squad.

And Cal 'Rosie' Rose joined the celebrations with a try of his own.

Rosie brings experience, personality and a strong connection to the club, and it was fitting to see him among the scorers on such an important afternoon.

Three more names. Three more contributions.

And another example of Yeovil's strength in depth.

Harry Froude – adding the extras

A seven-try performance deserves a mention for the man entrusted with converting those opportunities into additional points.

Harry Froude, sponsored by Coldstream Kit, was once again on kicking duties for Yeovil.

His contribution with the boot has been an important part of the side's attacking success this season.

Tries win applause, but successful kicks can make a huge difference, particularly when matches are finely balanced.

And as the season progresses, those extra points will continue to matter.

More than just the try scorers

One of the most encouraging aspects of Yeovil's season has been the collective effort across the squad.

The front row of Rob Cross, Will Tearall and James Read has provided physicality and commitment.

Clint Townsend and Tom Lancaster bring presence to the second row, while James Banbury, Callum Regan and Olly Seton contribute energy and determination in the back row.

Across the backs, Harry Froude, Harry McHugh, Olly Holloway and the rest of the squad provide attacking options capable of causing problems for any opposition.

And the replacements are just as important.

A league campaign isn't won by fifteen players alone. It takes a squad willing to train, compete, support one another and step up whenever called upon.

That togetherness is becoming one of Yeovil's greatest strengths.

From a narrow defeat to five wins from six

What a start to the season this has become.

Yeovil opened with a hard-fought victory away at North Dorset II before suffering a narrow home defeat to Wimborne II.

It would have been easy to dwell on that disappointment.

Instead, the response has been outstanding.

Victories against Weymouth & Portland, Blandford and Frome II followed.

And now, perhaps the biggest result of the campaign so far: 45–18 against previously unbeaten Bridport.

Five victories from six matches.

More importantly, Yeovil have shown they can win in different circumstances, away from home, in terrible weather and against teams arriving with genuine promotion ambitions.

Saturday was another important step forward.

A statement to the rest of the league

Before kick-off, Bridport were the side with the perfect record.

They had earned their reputation and arrived with every intention of extending that unbeaten run.

But Yeovil didn't allow that record to define the occasion.

Instead, they produced a performance that demonstrated their own ambitions.

Forty-five points against a team that hadn't lost all season.

That's a result that will make other clubs in the division sit up and take notice.

There is still a long season ahead. Plenty of difficult fixtures remain, and nothing is decided in October.

But there is every reason for Yeovil supporters to feel excited about what this squad is building.

Confidence is growing.

The tries are flowing.

And the Pigs are very much in the fight at the top of the table.

Church Lane, take a bow

A huge thank you to everyone who came along to support the lads.

Home advantage isn't simply about playing on a familiar pitch.

It's about the people standing along the touchline, the encouragement from supporters, the familiar faces around the clubhouse and the sense of pride that comes with representing Yeovil Rugby Club.

Those things matter.

And on Saturday, the players gave the home crowd plenty to celebrate.

To Bridport, thank you for the contest and best wishes for the remainder of the season.

To our players, coaches, volunteers and supporters, enjoy this one.

Because victories like this are what make all those training nights, muddy afternoons and hours of hard work worthwhile.

Bridport arrived unbeaten. They left having met a Yeovil side determined to make its mark.

FINAL SCORE: YEOVIL FIRST XV 45 – 18 BRIDPORT RFC

🏆 Forward of the Match: Terry Leonard

🏆 Back of the Match: Josh 'Doc' Docherty

FIVE WINS FROM SIX. THE PIGS ARE ON THE CHARGE.

🖤🤍 TOGETHER WE STAND. UP THE PIGS!