KINGSBRIDGE 25 - CREDITON 29

WITH no rugby played the previous week and the additional burden of several players missing either through injury or simply unavailable, the game at Kingsbridge on Saturday, February 9 was never going to be an easy one.

The home side have had an up-and-down season and certainly are not the force they were last year, however, they are still tough opponents especially on their own patch.

Youngsters Josh Kenshole and Matt Goodman started in the pack for their First Fifteen debuts and both can be pleased with their contribution as Kingsbridge, despite their poor season, is no place for the feint-hearted especially against an experienced bulky pack such as theirs.

That said, we are no slouches in that area either and actually dominated the scrum for most of the game continually putting their pack under pressure.

Within 10 minutes, we had raced into a 12-0 lead courtesy of tries from Jason Luff and Ed Brady plus an Ollie Avery-Wright conversion.

However, by half-time, we had been pegged back to 15-all as it seemed we took our foot off the pedal allowing them back into the game.

However, with the slope in our favour for the second half, the advantage seemed to be with us. The point was made with two further tries, from Ed Brady and Ben Wonnacott, both converted by Avery-Wright for a 29-15 lead.

Kingsbridge battled back and chipped away at our lead with two tries, earning themselves a losing bonus point and a four-try bonus point.

With Sidmouth being held to a draw by Wellington and St Austell surprisingly losing at home against Wadebridge, the gaps at the top of the table have reduced significantly and the promotion race, whilst not blown wide open has certainly become more competitive.

The result has also strengthened our position in the Intermediate Cup.

QUINS

The ‘Quins, bolstered by a considerable number of Third Fifteen players put up a very spirited performance against a strong Tiverton Seconds in a hastily arranged friendly.

Playing up the slope in the first half, we did well to restrict Tivvy to two scores, both very late on in the half as they reached the interval 0-12.

Hopes were high of reducing the arrears but Tivvy had other ideas and two early second half tries more or less secured their win.

We did gain a consolation try from No 8 Ryan Doyle, converted by Hayden Hill but the last word went to the visitors with a further try to give them a 31-7 victory.

The scoreline did not do justice to the effort put in by the ‘Quins. In the first half we defended very well and in the second period, when we were trying to force the game, Tivvy capitalised on a couple of handling errors and ended up scoring from long range.

COLTS

The Colts continued their impressive form with a solid win at South Molton in the Colts Plate, making it six wins from six games.

In the home fixture between the two sides, South Molton looked a very useful side and certainly matched us before we eventually sneaked the win.

Inevitably it looked a potential banana skin up there but this time there was no let up in the performance and a four-try bonus point win was well-deserved.

Josh Woodland chipped in with another two tries, and there was one apiece for Lewis Warren and Sam Wilson with Owen Cooper landing three conversions in the 26-3 victory.

FORTHCOMING GAMES

Tomorrow, Saturday, February 16 the First Fifteen entertain a fast improving Paignton side who have won their last two games as they look to pull out of the relegation spots.

The ‘Quins travel to Paignton for a Merit Table fixture whilst the Thirds are at home against Honiton Seconds in the Merit Table and the Colts are at home against Withycombe in the Colts Plate.

Paul Harris