IT seems like only yesterday that the last season closed amid tension and excitement.

Crediton RFC’s First Fifteen secured Western Counties West status thanks to a try in the seventh minute of injury time in the final game of the season at Torquay.

Relief and delight were the emotions of the day capped by an entertaining train journey home from the English Riviera.

Not for the first time has the delightful weather induced some excitement at the end of the season as it brought back memories of three years earlier when we battled it out with Saltash for the Cornwall and Devon Championship.

Throughout the season we had either hovered above the relegation spots or actually been in them and at one stage we looked favourites to join the already doomed Burnham side to go down.

We certainly did not have the easiest run-in for the final half-a-dozen fixtures and indeed some of the other sides in the same situation, and there were six or seven in all, were beginning to find some form.

As each game went by, the situation became more intense as the entire bottom seven clubs were all under threat right up until the end of the final game.

As we went into that final game, the two most likely candidates for the drop were ourselves and Torquay, whoever lost would be down and of course the rest is history.

Of course, whilst the drama unfolded in those dying moments of the game, much of the hard work had been done in the weeks preceding the game with three wins and a draw from the five games prior to the victory at Torquay.

Whilst it did not guarantee our safety, those games kept us in with a chance and for the third successive season the last quarter of the season has seen a turnaround in form.

Training began in earnest this week, and will continue every Tuesday and Thursday from now on, although the pre-season fitness work had already started under the watchful eye of Chris Gibson.

There have been some really good touch rugby sessions involving the seniors, juniors, ladies and girls and in excess of 40 have been turning up for that.

Prior to the first league game, away at Wadebridge on September 1, we have some interesting trial games starting with a home game against Torquay on August 11, followed by home games against Cullompton Firsts and Seconds on August 18.

The Second Fifteen have another trial game against Newcross on August 25.

New players are most welcome to join us and indeed we have already secured the services of newcomer Barney Carter who has recently moved into the area.

Barney was formerly with level 3 club East Grinstead and is a strong running centre with some experience at a higher level behind him. We look forward to seeing him in action for CRFC.

The ‘Quins had a mixed season but nonetheless finished mid-table in Devon Merit Table One and there is no reason why they cannot improve on that next season.

The competition for places will be made a little more fierce with the addition of some “young guns” moving up from the Colts.

The Third Fifteen likewise had mixed fortunes but they too ended the season in mid-table of Devon Merit Table Two. They have fulfilled all playing commitments during the season and are still one of only two Third Fifteen’s in the county.

Both the Seconds and Thirds earned the £200 kit bonus voucher from Devon RFU for not “crying off” a single Merit Table game throughout the season, something that only seven other clubs in the county managed to achieve.

Whilst not enjoying their most successful season of late, the Colts showed enormous commitment and were not short on ability. It was much to do with the cyclical way that age grade rugby goes through.

Last season there were many Colts sides in the county that were mainly second year players and so it was very much a learning curve for us.

However, with the successful Under 16s from last season now joining the ranks of Under 18’s, we can expect a much-improved year as far as results go.

However, whilst winning is a nice feeling, the important thing is that ultimately, these young players come through to senior level and battle it out for a First Fifteen shirt. Former captain Eddie Yeandle will be coaching the Colts this season.

All competitions that we compete in, be it First Fifteen in Western Counties’ West or Thirds in the revised Devon Merit Table Two North East, will be very competitive but the feeling is that we have the players who are capable of performing at all levels and we can look forward to a successful 2018-19.

Paul Harris