DEVONPORT Services were knocked off the top of Regional One South West as they were narrowly beaten 28-24 away at Devon rivals Brixham on Saturday.
They now find themselves one point behind new leaders Chew Valley, who have to visit the Rectory on January 27.
Services had their chances to win at Astley Park, but they were not as clinical as they have been and also were not as good defensively as usual.
It was the first time since September that they had conceded more than 20 points in a game, but they did at least pick up two valuable bonus points.
“Defensively, as you can tell from the score, we were not on it as we can be,” said Devonport head coach Ben Russell. “And our game-management at times wasn’t quite there as we did the wrong thing at the wrong times.
“But fair play to Brixham, it is a cracking place to go and play rugby as their crowd really gets behind them.
“We got two points from the game and it is still in our own hands as Chew have to come to us in two weeks’ time.”
He added: “Before this weekend, I thought we could lose one game and still win the league.
“We just have to make sure we keep getting bonus points when we win just in case we do lose that extra game.
“But it was definitely one we could have won.
“We had the opportunity to put a couple of scores on them and probably knock the wind out of them, but we allowed them to stay in it and they got their tails up and went ahead.
“In certain areas we just lost our composure and chose the wrong options.”
Services had taken the lead with a good try by Mark Friend, which Matt Neyle converted.
But Brixham levelled on 23 minutes when Mitch Pinkus put Bobby Wigginton in to touch-down and Joel Ashworth added the conversion.
Services, though, turned up the pressure and the hosts had JP Simonetti sin-binned.
Their pressure eventually told with hooker Aiden Taylor scoring a catch-and-drive try, which Neyle converted, to make it 14-7.
But just before the interval Brixham cut the gap to two points with a Jamie Hext try.
And straight after the break the Fisherman went in front with a Ashworth penalty before Harrison Coonick restored Services’ lead with a try in the corner.
Ashworth kicked another penalty to close the gap to one point, only for Coonick to score his second – and Devonport’s fourth – with a fine solo effort that put his side 24-18 ahead.
However, it became a one-point game again when Brixham forward Nathan Reeves went over in the corner.
And with eight minutes to go former Plymouth Albion winger Matt Crosscombe scored out wide to make it 28-24.
Services, who had beaten Brixham in their last two meetings, pressed late on and had a great chance after a line-out 30-metres out but just when they looked like might score out wide they were penalised for a forward pass.
Alex Garner scored a late try, which Matt Grieveson converted, to secure Ivybridge a crucial 20-19 victory away at fellow strugglers St Austell.
It was the Bridgers’ first away win of the season and their second one-point triumph over the Saints this term, having beaten them 36-35 at Cross-in-Hand at the end of September.
Ivybridge have now won three of their last four games, but the battle to stay up is as tight as ever with just six points separating eighth-placed St Austell from 11-placed Matson.
The Bridgers are just a point behind St Austell now, but 10th-placed Okehampton put the pressure back on by beating Launceston.
Ivybridge, who handed a debut to colt James Pullan, had gone 10-0 up in Cornwall with a penalty by Grieveson and then a converted try by Jack Skinner.
Saints cut the gap when Ben Plummer crossed the whitewash and former Plymouth Albion star Matt Shepherd added the conversion.
Grieveson kicked another penalty but tries by Max Bullen and Kayden Michael put the Saints 19-13 ahead by the 44th minute.
And that was how it stayed until four minutes from time when Garner crossed and Grieveson crucially put over the conversion to win the match for his side.
“It’s our first away win and our first double as well and I think it will give us a bit of momentum which I think we need,” said Ivybridge head coach Davy McGregor.
“We played well as it’s a tough place to go.
“We made sure we kept in the fight.
“They fired everything at us, but I thought we defended exceptionally well. I genuinely felt we were in second gear as well, but when we needed to, we dug in there.
“The big thing was that we had a few injuries early on and had some new players, but we were able to stick in it and hold on and get over the line.
“It shows that we have got character. Maybe three months ago we might not have had that.”
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
LEADERS Plymstock Albion Oaks were shocked by second-from-bottom Wiveliscombe on Saturday in Western West.
The Somerset club triumphed 32-26 to boost their hopes of staying in the league.
Oaks did pick up two bonus points which keeps them eight points clear of second-placed Tiverton, but it was not what they wanted.
“As we said in the week it was a banana skin and we just didn’t turn up first half,” said head coach Lewis Paterson.
“I think they led 23-7 and we just gave them too much of a lead.
“We did have a much better second half and did bring it back to 26-26, but it was just one of those days.
“It is a horrible place to go and they were decent, but they basically capitalised on our errors and were clinical.”
He added: “We could have won the game, but we threw a pass that just went forward and was knocked on. If that had gone to hand, it would have been a try.
“It was fine margins, but we shouldn’t have put ourselves in a position where we are trying to claw a game back that we lost in the first half.
“We went with a good side so we can’t take anything away from Wiveliscombe as they really took it to us and were physical.
“I have had a rattle at the boys and told them we are better than that and how we need to be on it, but we got two league points from it and they could be vital.”
Oaks got a penalty try to go with touch-downs from Corey Jamieson, Harvey Courtis and Luke Austin, while Paterson kicked three conversions.
There was also disappointment for Tavistock, who lost 35-33 at home to the Pirates Amateurs.
It was a third successive defeat for Tavistock, but they did actually move up a place to fifth in the table after picking up two bonus points.
Tavistock had been 33-25 up going into the closing stages, but a late penalty and a converted try won the match for the Pirates.
“We threw it away,” said Tavistock head coach Joel Caddy.
“We were in control of the game but our game-management cost us as we made a few strange decisions.
“It was an entertaining game, but we just let it slip away.
“It was a much-improved performance from the previous week, but it was just that little bit of game-management that let us down.
“The positives did out-weigh the negatives, but unfortunately the negatives cost us. There were just some poor decisions made but they are easy fixes.
“We just have to make sure the wheels don’t fall off our season. We now have seven wins and seven defeats and I would like us to finish with more wins than losses.”
Winger Stephen O’Connor gave Tavistock the lead with a converted try before the Pirates responded with a try and a penalty to lead 8-7.
The hosts restored their advantage with a converted try by Charlie Charlton.
A second try by the visitors put them 15-14 ahead, but Tavistock went in at half-time 19-15 in front thanks to a second try by O’Connor.
After the interval, the Pirates cut the gap with a penalty, but a Hammy Kerswill try moved Tavistock 26-18 ahead.
In a thrilling contest, the Pirates made it a one-point game again before Ethan Lamerton crossed the whitewash for the home side’s fifth try to make it 33-25.
But, unfortunately, they were not able to hang on.
COUNTIES TWO CORNWALL
SALTASH turned on the style to beat third-placed Perranporth 62-9 at Moorlands Lane on Saturday.
The Ashes produced some great defence in the first half when playing uphill and showed a real clinical edge in attack.
They ended up running in 10 tries – five in each half – and had three more ruled out in the second period as Perranporth struggled to stop them.
Lewis Stuart bagged a hat-trick in the first 40 minutes, while Will Morton collected four in the second half, with Danny Snook, Ryan Cruickshanks and Lewis Wells also crossing the whitewash and Jack Pritchard kicking six conversions.
It was an impressive all-round display by Saltash and it delighted their head coach Steve Down.
“It started with really good defence and I was really happy with that,” he said.
“I’ll be honest, last week was quite disappointing (against Camborne School of Mines). There was a lot of rust as we hadn’t played since December 2 and you could see that.
“They (Camborne SoM) were a spirited side, but we were disappointed, however, this week I think we answered all those demons.
“Our defence was awesome – the ferocity of the hits and the two-man tackles – and the cleanness and clinical attack was also what I enjoyed.
“Our attack was really firing and that was a demonstration of what we can do, putting that many points on third in the league.
“The forwards set up an outstanding platform, with their discipline and shape, and the backs really benefitted from it.”
He added: “I was really pleased for the backs as they have been miss-firing a little bit and it was really nice to see them coming from deep and running the right lines.
“It was a really good all-round performance. It answered a lot of questions from last week – and probably previous games as well. Hopefully, that has set a marker now for 2024 and we can push on from there.”
Perranporth really started strongly and had a five-metre scrum in the first minute, but despite a lot of pressure Saltash kept them out.
Eventually the visitors did get a penalty, which fly-half Justyn Irons put over to give his side the lead.
But on their first real foray into Perranporth’s half, Saltash scored when Stuart went over in the left corner after Wells had been stopped just short on the right following a strong run.
The visitors did cut the gap with another Irons penalty, but Stuart then added a second in the same corner following a tap penalty after Perranporth centre Tom Job had been yellow carded.
On 23 minutes, Irons kicked a third penalty for the Brewers but that was to be it for their afternoon.
Perranporth still had plenty of possession in the first half, but Saltash did not allow them to do anything with it and whenever the hosts got into the 22 they scored.
Snook scored a fine try in the 29th minute after a good counterattack before Cruickshanks went over in the right corner after Morton put him in.
And Stuart completed the first half scoring with his hat-trick.
The second period was one-way traffic. Perranporth tried their best to stop Saltash’s powerful runners through the middle like Wells and Ryan Rayner, but all that did was leave space out wide.
The second period was just three minutes old when Morton bagged his first try of the afternoon after Rayner had done brilliantly from the back of a scrum 30 metres out.
Wells then powered through the middle before Morton added his second.
Young lock James Sutton was unlucky to have a try ruled out on 59 minutes after a Perranporth player had collided with the referee and knocked her glasses off.
Morton then bagged his hat-trick with a pre-planned move from a scrum.
Cruickshanks and Stuart then had further tries ruled out before Morton completed the scoring after the Saltash forwards, who really impressed, turned Perranporth over at a scrum.
In the same division, Liskeard-Looe lost 39-5 away at Newquay Hornets.
COUNTIES TWO DEVON
PLYMOUTH Argaum picked up three valuable away points as they drew 24-24 at Exmouth II.
However, for the second week running, Argaum head coach Dean Avery felt his team should have won.
The previous week they had lost 14-12 to title-chasing Devonport Services after leading 12-0 with just 90 seconds to go.
They were also two tries up at Exmouth, but just missed out on claiming their first away victory of the season.
“We got four tries, so we got three points,” said Avery. “But, same as last week, it was another game where we were two tries up with 10 minutes to go, but unfortunately didn’t win the game.
“We had two tries disallowed in the first half, but second half we had the wind behind us and got ourselves into a position to win the game, but maybe a bit of fitness and rustiness from players who have not played a lot and we have conceded two late tries.
“We could really have had nine points from the last two games.
“However, it was still really good and I think any point away from home with the way things have been going is a bonus.
“But to get ourselves in that lead and then to concede two late tries is a bit disappointing. However, again I was really happy with the performance from one to 17.”
Argaum were able to welcome back Billy Stockwell and Jake Turfrey but were missing the likes of Owen Goucher, Dan Smith, Darren Ewers and Tom Worboys.
Turfrey scored a fine interception try, while forwards Tom Mann, Al Sullivan and Will Lloyd bagged their other tries at the Imperial Ground.
OPMs suffered an afternoon to forget at title-chasing Torquay Athletic as they were beaten 99-0.
The Old Boys did once concede 100 against the Pirates Amateurs in 2015 and 95 against Truro in 2009 but on both those occasions they did manage to get on the scoresheet.
But it was one-way traffic at the Recreation Ground on Saturday where Torquay are so formidable.
The Tics have scored 519 points in their eight home games and only conceded 48.
They beat Argaum 101-0 there in October and put 78 on North Tawton and 69 on Honiton.
“They are really good at home, but it was a bitter pill to swallow,” said OPMs captain Billy Garratt, who was forced to watch from the sidelines after suffering a nasty injury last weekend.
“It’s a case of forgetting that scoreline now and rebuilding on Tuesday and Thursday and looking forward to Saturday again. We just have to try and bounce back now.
“Credit where credit is due, Torquay had their systems and they stuck to them. We were slow off the mark and then went down to 13 for the last 20 minutes.
“But even when we went down to 13 men, we still stuck in for the final 80 and that’s what we are about. We don’t give up.”
Torquay were 38-0 up at half-time but really pulled away as injuries hit OPMs in the second half.
Ryan Hanauer bagged five tries for the hosts, with Noah Rider collecting three and Tom Drake, Callum Crocker, Jamie Blatchford, Ash Sharp, Mawgan Penrice, George Helmore and Ben Sharples also crossing.
There was also disappointment for high-flying Devonport Services II who dropped down to second after losing 34-9 at home to Barnstaple II, who have replaced them at the top of the league.
Services were only 10-6 down at half-time with Lewie Riley kicking two penalties, but Barnstaple II pulled away after the interval.
The visitors ended up scoring six tries courtesy of Tom Swales (2), Ben Jago, Mitchell Turner, Louis Beer and Harvey Rostock. Riley kicked all Services’ points.
Ivybridge II were again unable to raise a side to visit Honiton. It was the second time they had pulled out of visiting the east Devon side and the third time this season they had given a walkover.
COUNTIES THREE
SECOND-placed Tamar Saracens opened up an eight-point gap between themselves and third-placed Brixham II after they beat the young Fisherman 29-3 at the Parkway on Saturday.
There was not any scoring in the opening 25 minutes, but then Brixham II went in front with a penalty.
“That woke us up a bit then,” admitted Sarries’ Pete Lethbridge.
The hosts scored two tries before half-time courtesy of Frazer Tatchell and fit-again hooker Adam Corbett from a catch-and-drive move to lead 12-3.
Sarries then pulled away from Brixham’s young side in the second period with the impressive Joey Pook scoring their third touch-down before Alex Parry scored down the left wing, Lew Harris touch-down from a kick-and-chase and Rob Hall added a fifth.
“They really came at us in the first half, but we managed to surf the waves,” said Lethbridge.
“Our scrum and line-out went really well and there was some good backs play.
“You could not fault the boys’ effort from one to 20. It was a really good performance.”
After failing to get a side out last weekend, Plymstock Albion Oaks II responded with a 52-14 home win over Tavistock II.
Oaks II scored eight tries, with Jerome Davies bagging three of them. Jon Baldwin-Nygaard, Nathan Akers, Sam Luke, Ben Turua and Miti Caqara also crossed the whitewash, while Luke kicked the rest of the points.
Captain Stu Collyer said: “We were really frustrated to not have a team last week, so to start 2024 with a big home win is a massive bonus for us.
“We struggled last week with illness, injury, holidays and our Fijians not yet back from their Christmas leave – they’re all serving in the army or Royal Navy.
“Tavistock gave us a good contest, even though they were short-handed, they never gave up and really fronted up, so credit to them, but we never really took our foot off the gas as we desperately wanted to start this year with bang.”
He added: “Sean Wills was exceptional, he was everywhere, as was Jerome Davies, who bagged himself a hat-trick. Sam Luke had a great game at 10 and our Fijian trio of Ben Turua, Miti Caqara and Atu Kovula all made massive in-roads into the Tavistock defence.”
Old Techs had a day to forget as they were beaten 21-19 by bottom side Totnes, who had not won a game before this weekend and who had only won one last season.
Techs, who were missing the likes of Josh O’Hare, Billy Evans, Rudi Baker and Will Booth, had been 17-3 up at one point but let the game slip.
“It was really frustrating,” said chairman David Evans.
“We had a few boys cry off and players playing out of position, but we still should have had enough to win that game.
“It was their president’s day and, to be fair, they dogged it out. They were better on the day and their attitude was better. You can’t knock a team that keeps going like that.
“We just didn’t have that killer instinct.
“We know if we could get our best side out every week, we would be so much further up the table.”
Dan Pullen scored two tries for Techs, with their other coming from forward Ollie Davey, while Brett Tunnicliffe, who had to stand in at fly-half, kicked two conversions.
Plympton Victoria were beaten 69-14 away by unbeaten runaway leaders Dartmouth on Saturday.
Plym Vic had surprised them a little bit earlier in the season when Dartmouth had to dig really deep to snatch a bonus point in a 26-0 win.
But Dartmouth made sure they did not take Plym Vic lightly this time around.
“We knew we were in for a hard day at the office as they are in really good form,” said Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt.
“They do have some really strong runners.
“Once again we were a lot better in the second half and got a couple of tries.
“We weren’t helped by having to play two flankers at centre.
“But we just have to look to keep building.”
Plym Vic, who handed debuts to Josh Hughes and Riley Ching, were awarded a penalty try after a good kick-and-chase, while Ronan Cons scored their other, with Chris Barrett converting that one.
In Counties Three Cornwall, Saltash II drew 20-20 away at Falmouth II.
In a club match, Devonport Services III beat Topsham III 47-21 thanks to tries by Joe Rider (2), Oli Knapman, Paddy Hutchings, Toby Moss, Tom Leach and Neo Rushton-Ley. Jack Chaney added six conversions.
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