A year ago Midsomer Norton completed a memorable Cup double when they secured the Bath Combination Plate on the Recreation Ground, Bath, to add to the Somerset Vase they’d won only a few days before.
Norton started this campaign as they’d finished the last, pushing eventual Southern Counties South League winners, Royal Wootton Basset, all the way for the title. Norton’s impressive form has largely been built on their dominance at home, where they haven’t been beaten for the past 15 months.
As runners up in the league they’d earned the right to fight for promotion against the Southern Counties North runners up, Aylesbury RFC. A hard fought match against Aylesbury was played out on a glorious, but windy, day at Norton Down in front of a large crowd. Norton never lost the lead they established within eight minutes of the start and whilst Aylesbury were always in touch, they never had enough to wrestle control away from the home side.
The rugby clubs achievement is all the more remarkable for the fact that 14 of the 15 men who started the play off final came through the Clubs Junior section. Next season, Midsomer Norton Rugby Club will play at a level higher than any they have played at in the Clubs history, a level comparable to Bath City in the football league pyramid. Professionalism and money may be the watchwords of modern sport, but at Norton Down our local players still pay to play, for the love of the game.
At the bottom of Silver Street and along North Road, Welton Rovers have struggled to recreate the heroics of last season. Having spent most of the season at the wrong end of the table, the Green Army were looking for one final push to secure their Western Premier League survival. A rare win in late March, against local rivals Shepton Mallett, served only to prolong the inevitable. Relegation was finally confirmed by a four one defeat at the hands of eventual League winners, Odd Down.
At Withies Lane Midsomer Norton Cricket Club are gearing up for life in the WEPL Bristol and North Somerset league. Following their indifferent form of last season, our cricketers will certainly be looking up rather than down, as a barometer of success for this season. If you are ever looking for something to do on a sunny Saturday or Sunday afternoon, Midsomer Norton Cricket Club is a welcoming venue where you can enjoy some of our beautiful local scenery, as well as excellent cricket!
If this report has wetted your sporting appetite, tune in to Somer Valley FM every Tuesday at 6pm on 97.5FM for all the latest news from our local teams. Saturday Live, broadcast from 4pm every Saturday, provides live match updates for Midsomer Norton Cricket Club, along with a host of our other local and professional teams.
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