Yatwell U16s topple Helston RFC in 65 point thriller

The home side welcomed a very large and powerful Helston team to Yatton and both sides put on a tremendous display of rugby that could have gone either way until Isaac Dahmani confirmed his team’s win in the dying minutes.

Yatwell started really strongly, a great run by fly-half Jimmy Jackson-Patel saw him carve through the defence and when he was stopped five metres short a lovely pop pass out of the tackle to fullback Tyler Meekhums released him to go over the line early in the game.

From that score though it would be over thirty minutes before Yatwell scored again as Helston brought the game back to their hosts. 

The size of some of Helston’s ball carriers was an issue for Yatwell, with 350Kg between the two props and their number eight it was no surprise that a lot of Helston’s attack was through route one and it took some phenomenal defence to stop a number of these runs. 

Three tries later though a number of power plays by Helston had made the score 5-19 and the visitors looked to be in the driving but with minutes left in the half, Yatwell struck back.

Centre Charlie Hayett took out two players coming out of a scrum before passing to Kieran Thomas on the twenty-two who was brought down just metres short of the line, but he was too strong for the defender and finished the move, closing the first half out at 10-19 to Helston.

A penalty just after the restart led to Yatwell’s next score, the ball was moved wide a with a two player miss pass to winger Mo Sayce on the twenty-two and some lovely acceleration out of the step saw him round the remaining defenders and go over in the corner.

Yatwell then scored after a Helston knock-on from a lineout.

The Yatwell and Helston squads after their tightly contested battle (Image: Yatton and Nailsea & Backwell RFC)

The ball was picked up and passed to Jackson-Patel who had the step and the speed to round the defenders and score in the corner. 

Helston struck back immediately though when Yatwell failed to secure the restart, and with about twenty minutes to go Yatwell were once more trailing by six points at 20-26.

For the next quarter of an hour both teams then went toe to toe in what was a terrific contest between two really well-matched teams.

Yatwell scored next, a penalty was crashed into contact 10m from the line and from there two quick passes released winger Billy Taylor in at the corner and Hayett stepped up to slot the conversion and for the first time since their early try Yatwell were in front, 27-26.

 Hayett found the ball in his hands again after the restart, this time a show and go saw him straight through a gap and he had the pace to go the distance and score under the posts, 32-26. 

With the final plays of the game a Yatwell scrum penalty was passed out to Isaac Dahmani who was able to drive over the line and seal both a fantastic comeback and a memorable win with the score Yatwell 39 Helston 26.