Saturday, November 1

CREDITON 41

HONITON 15

CREDITON maintained their promotion challenge with a comfortable, if at times, unconvincing win against Honiton.

The Crediton performance spanned both the highs and lows of the spectrum whilst the somewhat depleted visitors battled gamely throughout.

The hosts opened the scoring after three minutes when Crediton fly-half Mark Lee caught the Honiton defence napping with a cleverly disguised switch pass to take play down the blind side for prop Dann Manns to outpace the defence to score out wide.

On 17 minutes, home lock Josh Lee, made a 20 metre break and offloaded to promising Colts' Ollie Down for a clear run to the line.

Honiton were stung into action and from a driving maul Rob Price got the touchdown.

With the interval approaching, Crediton extended the lead when scrum-half Tom Ronchetti broke clear and just as it looked as though he had been trapped like a fly in a cobweb, managed to break clear and scramble over. Lee converted.

Honiton then had time to reduce the arrears with a penalty by Ben Webber.

The second half saw Crediton with the advantage of the strong breeze and it did not take long for the lead to be extended when Lee threw out a miss pass which Down gathered and exploited a huge hole in the visiting defence to score under the posts. Lee, again, added the extras.

The home side were not having things their own way as the visitors defended with vigour but when Crediton stole a scrum and attacked the blind side, it was Lee who raced over and then added the extras.

The bell was beginning to toll for the visitors as ever-green prop Wayne Reed was on-hand to take a loose line-out throw and make 20 metres (yes 20 metres) before popping a pass to replacement winger Brad Baker who again shipped on to Mike Pearce to score. Lee again converted.

The "Lacemen" never gave up and produced a counter attack to stretch the Crediton defence and provide an opportunity for No 8, Josh Rice, to gallop 20 metres to the line.

The final word, however, went to Crediton skipper Mark Nott from a pushover try at the end.

CREDITON HORNETS 47

WIVELISCOMBE THIRDS 13

Exmouth Thirds were unable to fulfil the fixture with Crediton Hornets and we were most grateful to Wiveliscombe Thirds for stepping in at late notice.

Wivey were very much a Veterans' Fifteen and the Hornets allowed them to play down the slope for both halves of the game!

Both sides contributed to a very entertaining game of rugby with Crediton running out comfortable winners.

Hornets tries were scored by winger John Greenewith (2), Lock forward Matt Norman, back-row forwards Joel Keogh and John James, replacement lock Mark Gibson and fly-half Gareth Kinch who added four conversions. Full-back Phil Anning also landed two conversions.

BIDEFORD COLTS 17

CREDITON COLTS 19

The Colts put in another excellent performance to complete the double over a strong Bideford side.

However, it was not until late in the game when they got the winning score having been behind for most of the game.

Bideford opened the scoring with an early try but by half-time Crediton held a 12-5 lead with two Will Goodman tries, one converted by Haydon Hill.

Bideford made better use of the wind in the second period and pegged Crediton in their own "22" for long periods before grabbing a couple of tries to take a 17-12 lead into the final quarter.

Crediton began to get themselves back into the game and centre Charlie Luxton took a pass to score under the posts for Hill to convert for a tremendous win.

It was, of course, a huge disappointment to learn at 11am on the day of the match that Exmouth were unable to field a Second Fifteen for the Devon Merit Table One game at Crediton. Sadly there was not time to find an alternative fixture.

It is very frustrating for our Second Fifteen, who had all been looking forward to the challenge of taking on the side at the top of the Merit Table.

We would certainly have expected better from a club of the standing of Exmouth.

Fixtures for tomorrow, Saturday, November 8: First Fifteen v Kingsbridge (away - Devon Intermediate Cup); Second Fifteen v Newton Abbot Seconds (home); Third Fifteen v Topsham Seconds (home) and Colts v Sidmouth Colts (away).

Next Tuesday (November 11) an RFU Scrum Clinic will be held at Crediton RFC with Wayne Reed and Bob Armstrong.

All are welcome to come along and learn something new.

PH