CREDITON 25 - WINSCOMBE 15

WITH in excess of 100 sponsors and guests in attendance on Saturday, January 19, the hope was that the Kirton lads would show their thanks by putting on a show of quality rugby.

Our 36-10 victory up in Somerset at the end of September combined with Winscombe’s lack of success away from home no doubt added to the anticipation of a potential try fest.

All the signs looked good in the warm up but as the game started it soon became clear that this was not going to be an easy ride.

Seeking their first away win of the season Winscombe got off to a flying start! Our failure to secure the ball from the kick-off handed the visitors possession and within a few phases they were in for the opening score of the game.

With a successful conversion we found ourselves 0-7 down in the blink of an eye in what must have been the quickest score against us for many years.

We struggled to get into the game and were unable to match the intensity at which Winscombe were playing. Our defence was looking unusually fragile as the visitors really took the game to us and we simply could not get hands on the ball.

However, it was against the run of play when we levelled with a well-worked try.

A shortened lineout just in our own half and the ball off the top was fed to Ben Wonnacott who broke through the Winscombe defence before putting Oli Down away for the try. Ollie Avery-Wright converted and it was 7-7.

Any thoughts that would settle us were somewhat misguided as the heavy Winscombe pack continued to dominate the scrum and provide a good platform for their backs who looked a constant threat.

Desperate defending kept them at bay but a fractionally late tackle on their fly-half earned them a penalty and Josh Pearce a 10-minute breather.

The visitors continued to press and we conceded another penalty but this time we were caught on the hop as it was taken quickly and they scored in the corner to move ahead 15-7 at the interval.

Not for the first time this season, a big second half was required if we were to turn things around but the early moments of the second half little changed.

The turning point came when the visitors conceded a penalty which we kicked to the corner. The resulting lineout was won and the driving maul ended with prop Lance Palmer touching down, Avery-Wright converted and somehow we were only a point behind.

Winscombe continued to enjoy the lions share of possession and territory but we were, albeit slowly, getting more into the game.

Two penalties from Avery-Wright put us ahead 20-15 as our fitness began to show. Winscombe were still in it but victory was secured when Avery-Wright floated a sublime long pass to Mark Lee who crossed for try number three.

The conversion hit the upright and the score remained at 25-15 when the final whistle blew.

This was a game full of uncharacteristic mistakes from the Kirton boys, both in attack and defence. It was not our best performance by a long way but credit to the players for grinding out the result.

Credit also to Winscombe who deserved to take something from the game.

Fitness seems to have been a factor in a couple of our victories of late. We have tended to be slow starters of late and both Bideford and Winscombe had bigger packs and both visibly tired in the last quarter which was when the games were won, fortunately we seem to outlast our opposition and keep the momentum going for the full 80 minutes.

Falmouth at home on Saturday, January 26 will be another potential banana skin and hopefully we will make a better start.

The Seconds and Thirds had drubbings at Newton Abbot and Ilfracombe respectively. The game at Newton Abbot was disappointing and not helped by a couple of enforced changes after injuries in the warm up leaving us short of replacements.

Newton basically took us apart outside but when we kept the ball tight we gained territory and did manage a try from Tom Mortimer, converted by Tom Ronchetti.

The Thirds had no answer to the pace and power of Ilfracombe First Fifteen and lost 0-69. We did travel with only 14 and the players could not be faulted for effort.

The Colts travelled to Tavistock for their fourth Colts Plate match and won 29-24. However, having raced to a 29-0 lead by half-time, a bit of complacency crept in and the home side battled back to within a score.

Lewis Warren led the scoring with two tries and there was one apiece for Josh Woodland, Tyler Farley and Will Bonsor. Owen Cooper converted two.

The Seconds have another tough trip on Saturday when they travel to Brixham although we should take some comfort that we did beat them 40-0 at home earlier in the season.

The Thirds will make the trip to South Molton for what should be an interesting encounter. The Colts entertain Brixham and a win would almost certainly secure a place in the semi-finals.

Congratulations to Ethan Pearce who has been selected in the Devon Under 20’s squad for the forthcoming County Championship, a great achievement.

Paul Harris