CHIPPENHAM marched into the final of the Bristol Combination Cup next month with a comprehensive victory over Midsomer Norton.

Both teams started well but on five minutes, the ball was dug out of the ruck by Will Waddington who ran round the blindside, before passing to Kalif Barnes who ran in to open the scoring, the try converted by Harry Taylor.

Five minutes laterChippenham turned over a scrum on the Norton five metre line when the ball came loose, only to be scooped up by Waddington who passed inside to Rhys Brown who came in on the angle and took the ball over the line, Taylor again adding the extras Norton lost a couple of players to injury, but Chippenham’s relentless pressure continued and when the ball was recycled at the breakdown deep in Norton territory to Ollie Salt, he drove over the line for the third try of the morning.

Just before the half hour mark, following a series of rucks, the ball was passed to Toby Hearne who went over, Taylor adding the conversions for a 26-0 half-time lead.

Into the second half, Norton made more personnel changes and started to push Chippenham back.

Eventually though, Chippenham reasserted their authority and number eight Brown spun off the back of a maul and touched down for the fifth try, Taylor converting.

Chippenham’s next try came from a Midsomer Norton scrum on the 22 line when the ball was passed back to their fly-half, who fumbled the ball under pressure from Tom North and Jamie Atkin, who had come in to support, scooped up the loose ball and drove over the line.

An injury to Taylor saw him leave the field and the Chippenham back line had to be reshuffled.

With the enforced changes, plus a number of other substitutions, Norton took the chance to run the ball upfield while Chippenham regrouped, and Tom Dimech had to put in a try-saving tackle.

However Chippenham soon settled back into a rhythm and showed they still had more to give, taking the ball back into the Norton half and relentlessly pressurising the defence.

Eventually Norton conceded a penalty and Waddington took a quick tap and go, rushing through the defence to score.

The final try arrived when Chippenham secured the ball and recycled it to Ian Jenkins, who had been waiting patiently on the wing for his opportunity all morning.

He skipped through several flailing tackles to run in his try from the halfway line.

Stand-in fly-half Dan Treacy added the conversion and, with a Norton player sustaining a shoulder injury, the referee blew up early.

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