A MOMENT of magic in the dying moments from Sam Osborne clinched Bridgwater’s second narrow win over Barnstaple this season, at the end of an exciting game played in excellent conditions.

Having beaten Barnstaple 18-17 in the reverse fixture in September, Bridgwater were trailing deep into injury time on Saturday until Osborne crossed following a quick tap penalty for Bridgwater’s fourth score of the match.

Will Topps, with his final act for Bridgwater before jetting off to New Zealand, converted.

The visitors had opened the scoring when fly half Neil Giddy converted his own try following a break from his half-back partner, Neilson Webber. Bridgwater lost prop, Phil Triggol with a shoulder injury; Nick Brooks came on at tight head with James Bryant crossing to loose head.

With Rob Burnell in the sinbin, Giddy kicked a simple penalty awarded with the yellow card. Bridgwater then pressurised the visiting defence and home second row, Ali Blundell, used his height to stretch for the line and open the home side’s account; George Williams kicked a good conversion.

Sam Osborne then produced a good touchfinder and from the resulting five-metre line-out, Bridgwater produced an unstoppable rolling maul, and Burnell scored out wide; Williams’ conversion shaved the wrong side of the far post.

The next score came when Gavin Hancock sprinted for the corner after another Osborne kick had given Bridgwater a good attacking position.

The corner flag disappeared in a mass of bodies but in a refreshing display of honesty, the touch judge, Barnstaple club secretary Arthur Edwards, awarded the try. The conversion was narrowly missed.

In the second half, Barnstaple narrowed the gap with a penalty before the Bridgwater defence bought an outrageous dummy by Barnstaple’s Webber, who strolled in from 25 metres.

The conversion put Barnstaple back ahead, despite being down a man following the sin-binning of Sam Roberts for a petulant late tackle on Will Topps.

However, although Rob Allen was adjudged not to have grounded the ball having crossed the visitors’ line, Osborne had the final say. Next week, Bridgwater host Newton Abbot in their penultimate home game of the season.

Bridgwater team: Will Topps, Richard Willis, Rob Allen, George Williams, Gavin Hancock, Sam Osborne, Dominik Griffin, Phil Triggol (rep Nick Brooks 23), Gavin Knight (rep Matt Hastie, half-time), James Bryant, Ali Blundell, Matt Northey, Dan Kemmish (captain), Rob Burnell, Andy Tew. Rep not used: Haydn Johnson.