DEVONPORT Services showed their strength in depth with their second team beating Tavistock 68-15 at the Rectory in the quarter-finals of the Lockie Cup on Tuesday night.
Services did the damage in a 35-minute spell either side of half-time. They scored four tries in the last 15 minutes of the first period and four in the opening spell of the second half. The star of the show for them was hooker Dave Wilkins, who ended the evening with four tries.
Tavistock, who play Torquay Athletic at home on Saturday in the Cornwall/Devon League, did score two late tries, but they were just playing for pride by then.
“We were up against really good opposition,” said Tavistock player-coach Hammy Kerswill. “We started all right in the first 20 minutes but then our heads went and the floodgates opened. It is about belief with us. We just need them to believe a bit more as that period at the end we had some good passages of play and kept the ball for a while.
“But they (Services) demolished our line-out, which was a bit disappointing. We were missing a couple of personnel in the line-out, but it should not change so much.
“We were just up against good opposition. We have no complaints and the referee did well, it is just about upstairs for us.”
Services player-coach Matt Anstis said: “The boys did really well. First half we kept our shape well and it is pleasing to see what we are doing in training is working with the seconds as well.
“The game was evidence of our strength in depth and was really promising. Tavistock did not give up, but our shape, depth and skill level shone in the end.
“There were some good performances. Harrison Slade has come up from the colts and he ran the game from 10 really well. Dave (Wilkins) at hooker did really well and Danny Oner was a force all night, but it was our support play that made it. That is what we have worked on in training so that was really positive.”
Wilkins got Services off the mark with a try on the right after just nine minutes, which Harrison Slade converted.
But three minutes later Ed Nettleship kicked a penalty for Tavistock to reduce the gap.
Services missed a penalty eight minutes later and they had to wait until the 26th minute to score their second try, which again came through Wilkins.
Devonport then scored three tries within four minutes to take a 33-3 half-time lead. Young centre Jonah Moore got their third before Rob Ede crossed and then scrum-half Dylan Daley after good play by former Tavistock man Dan Oner.
Services took just over a minute to increase their lead after the break when Wilkins went over for his hat-trick.
He then added a fourth 10 minutes later before Tavistock had Jasper Cameron yellow-carded for a professional foul.
Flanker Matt Middlemiss scored almost immediately for the hosts before Oner got a try.
Tavistock did finally find some form in the closing stages and scrum-half Jack Glover crossed for a try before Ben Luke added a second, both converted by Nettleship.
But the final word went to Devonport with Oner adding his second. Teenager fly-half Slade converted that try to end the evening with an impressive nine successful kicks out of 10.