THORNBURY 78 - CREDITON 0

ONLY the players will know quite why this was in all honesty a dismal performance on Saturday, February 8. Whilst it was expected to be a tough game, to lose by this sort of score is hard to swallow.

Certainly some injuries early in the game did not help, the selected side was far more capable of producing a better outcome than this.

Quite what has gone wrong since mid-December is hard to fathom but if we are to remain in this league, then performances and an improvement in attendance at training must be a priority.

However, this is not a time to be over critical but more a need to close ranks and support all the players, things can only get better.

CREDITON 2NDS 23 - BRIXHAM 2NDS 31

We welcomed the Fishermen of Brixham to Blagdon last Saturday for this Devon Merit Table One fixture. Storm Ciara was brewing and the wind was picking up, but there was sunshine and blue skies as the game began.

We kicked off with the breeze at our backs and in the early stages enjoyed some good territory. We had the better of the first few scrums and, with a couple of penalties, were able to apply some pressure on the visitors with kicks to the corner.

Brixham withstood these initial attacks and, as they started to find their way into the game it felt like we had missed the opportunity to get the scoreboard moving.

With play moving into our half, we opted to kick the ball up field. Although not a bad kick, it didn’t appear to be anything that would cause Brixham any concern.

However, an excellent chase by Tyler Farley combined with a defensive mix up, allowed him to gather the ball, break a tackle and pass inside for Charlie Luxton to score.

The conversion was missed but all-in-all we were good value for the 5-0 lead.

This try gave the Brixham lads a kick and with the bus journey out of their system, they had the better of the next 10 minutes or so.

Under the cosh we gave away three penalties in quick succession and from the third, a quick tap to the forwards ended with a try following a couple of phases of pick and drives. With the conversion landed, it was 5-7.

A few minutes later and the visitors scored again. We had some decent possession for a few phases but were turned over in the attacking “22”.

A box kick clearance from the Brixham scrum-half was regathered by one of his forwards, who looked suspiciously like he was in front of his No 9.

The ball was spread wide and our defence was caught dog legged, allowing the visiting backs to break through and race to the posts to score. Somewhat surprisingly the straightforward conversion was missed, and it was 5-12 with 25 minutes gone.

That’s how it stayed until just before half-time when the visitors were penalised for holding on, after good work by former Brixham player Andy Hawkes.

Tyler Farley slotted the kick and he followed this up with another minutes later after Brixham were penalised at the scrum. As the half-time whistle blew it was 11-12 and game on!

The second half got underway and the visitors came flying out of the blocks. After just a couple of minutes we gave away a penalty and from the resulting catch and drive Brixham crossed for an unconverted try.

Having made too much of a nuisance of himself, Hawkes now found himself with a 10-minute break in the sin bin.

Just a few minutes later and from another lineout, Brixham took a different option and threw the ball wide, outpacing our defence to score again. With the conversion added we were suddenly 11-24 down.

For the next 20 minutes, as Brixham looked to finish the game off and we were working to get back in it, neither side dominated.

Then, on 65 minutes, were back under our posts having conceded a try in the corner. An excellent conversion made it 11-31.

This could have been a knock-out blow for the Kirton lads but in the final 15 minutes we managed to take a bit of control.

With play in the Brixham third our pressure was being rewarded with penalties as our guests were beginning to get on the wrong side of the ref, the result of which was a binning for their right-winger who seemed to take one for the team!

Our lineout was working pretty well and we were able to set up a decent platform to attack.

With 10 minutes left on the clock Rob Leach was driven over after some good approach work. Farley added the extras and it was 18-31.

Another quick score would get us back in it and with five minutes to go, more good play from the forwards and backs was finished with a score for the hard working Liam Staite.

The conversion would have brought us within one score but it was rushed and missed. The last few minutes were played out and the final score was 23-31, with a bonus point secured for being within 15 points.

This was a hard fought game that was enjoyable to watch. The lads put in a fantastic effort and deserved the bonus point - in all honesty we could arguably have earned a bit more.

Brixham certainly didn’t look like a side who, before the game, were propping up the table and you suspect they wheeled out a few experienced heads as they attempt to preserve their status.

CREDITON 3RDS 19 - EXETER SARACENS 2NDS 43

With no First team game, Sarries brought out a pretty strong side, albeit only 13 of them arrived so we did loan them two.

The slope advantage for the visitors in the first half proved decisive as they took full advantage. With half-time approaching, the Crediton boys had done well in restricting the score to 0-19 and had that been the score at the interval, we would have been in with a great chance.

However, two tries in the final two minutes of the half all but killed off the game.

The second half saw the Thirds rally and soon reduced the deficit with a couple of tries from Deyan Tomic who used his power to force his way over, Hayden Hill converted one.

Sarries bounced back with a breakaway try before the birthday boy Andy Dafters pulled another score back, not bad for a 57 year-old! Hill converted.

The visitors finished the scoring with another converted try.

It has to be said the Thirds always put in a committed performance as they tend to come up against the Second Fifteen’s of so many other Clubs. There were some good performances with skipper John Gurzynski leading from the front with some line breaking runs.

A fitter Deyan Tomic would undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with strong running over short distances.

Ash Bradnock who played the first half for Sarries, a wise move from him as he played the second half for us and consequently played downhill all the game, looks a threat with ball in hand but unfortunately it never got to him quickly enough.

The forwards tended to hang onto the ball a little too often when perhaps a few occasions it could have gone wide.

The lineouts need work but in fairness it was a breezy day.

Defensively we were lacking a bit at times in midfield leaving full-back Nico Fraternali, visiting from Argentina, somewhat exposed as the solitary defender. Nonetheless he put in some try saving tackles particularly in the first half.

EXETER SARACENS COLTS 24 - CREDITON COLTS 24

For the second time this season these two sides could not be separated, the previous game ending in a 12-all draw.

It was the home side that dominated proceedings initially as we fell foul of the referee on a number of occasions.

However, once the players understood what the ref wanted, they settled into their game and imposed themselves on Sarries.

The Colts battled back and almost snatched a victory that at one stage had looked unlikely.

Toby Humphreys bagged a couple of tries and there was one apiece from Liam Newstead and Josh Atkinson. Josh Pilkington landed a couple of conversions.

Paul Harris