DEVONPORT Services returned to the top of Regional One South West in impressive fashion on Saturday by claiming a 27-17 bonus-point win over title-rivals Chew Valley at the Rectory.
By denying their Somerset opponents even so much as a bonus point, Services have moved four points ahead of them in the standings.
Barnstaple did move up to second place, two points behind Services, with a 68-16 win at Ivybridge, but the north Devon club have played a game more.
It means, with just seven games to go, Services do have the luxury of knowing they could possibly afford a slip up, unlike their rivals.
Head coach Ben Russell was over the moon with the win and with the way his side responded after Chew came back from 17-3 down to level the contest at 17-17 in the second half.
“We got the five points and they got zero, which was the goal that we wanted,” said Russell. “To achieve that was cracking.
“The boys were outstanding – just their work-rate, discipline and tenacity to keep on going was unreal.”
He added: “We were 12-3 up at half-time and playing well and controlling the game.
“At the start of the second half we scored another try to go 17-3 ahead and then we just started to fall off tackles and Chew came and came – they are at the top of the league for a reason – and it got to 17-17.
“Then we just played in better areas and scored from a driving maul and then got a drop-kick to make it 27-17.
“Chew are a very good side. They have some big old boys and some good ball players, but what was really pleasing is that we came back from having gone from 17-3 up to 17-17 to pull away.
“We put our rugby heads on and played in the right areas and also defended and defended.”
However, Russell is not getting carried away by Services’ position.
“We still have to go to the likes of Lydney, Exmouth and Launceston, but we just have to keep on going and plugging away,” he said.
“We just have to keep turning up like we did this weekend and against Barnstaple.”
Chew had taken an early lead with a third-minute penalty by Tom Bryan.
But four minutes later Services scored their first try of the afternoon when flanker Liam Jarvis went over from a catch-and-drive move.
Almost from the restart they increased their lead to 12-3 when winger Harrison Coonick scored a stunning try from his own 22, which Richard West converted.
After such a busy opening 10 minutes of the contest, the rest of the first half could not produce anymore scoring with both teams defending well.
But right at the start of the second period, Devonport extended their advantage to 17-3 with a try from hooker Aiden Taylor following a line-out move.
Chew got back into the contest with a converted try by number eight Scott Parsons before Services had captain Shaun Crawford yellow carded after the side had been given a team warning.
While he was off the field, Chew levelled with a try by former Plymouth Albion front-rower Dean Brooker, which Miles Moorhouse converted.
However, then Chew were reduced to 14 when lock Tom Waddington was yellow carded and Services took advantage with another catch-and-drive try by Taylor, which West converted.
With eight minutes to go, Services thought they had got another try but they were ruled to have been held up over the line. However, from the resultant drop-out, the ball came to home fly-half West, who kicked a perfect drop-goal to move his side two scores ahead.
Services were able to keep Chew out in the closing stages to deny them any points.
Their captain Matt Gregory, playing his 300th first team appearance for the club, picked up the man-of-the-match awarded after an impressive performance at number eight.
Ivybridge suffered their biggest home defeat of the season as they were well beaten 68-16 by high-flying Barnstaple at Cross-in-Hand on Saturday.
Although Ivybridge had conceded 60 points away at both Chew Valley and Exmouth, their home form had been quite good.
They had won their previous three home matches and were enjoying their best run of the season, having triumphed in four of their last five games going into Saturday’s fixture.
But Barnstaple were in ruthless form and took advantage of a host of injuries suffered by the home team, including a broken leg suffered by returning forward Marcus Prout.
“I suppose it was a little bit of a wake-up call – just from a physical perspective,” said Ivybridge head coach Davy McGregor.
“It was a tough encounter, but I think more frustrating has been some of the losses by just a try.”
He added: “We did put some really good rugby together, but momentum changed with one of our lads breaking his leg.
“We also had two concussions and two sprains of ankles and so your whole team changes.
“They were 28-16 up when the injury happened and I just think that maybe got to us a little bit as a squad. It is never nice seeing one of your team-mates getting carried off.
“But to be fair, Barnstaple played a better standard of rugby than we were probably expecting. They really used the ball and played with a lot of width and they looked like a team with the ambition that they want to go up.
“There were no nerves from us about who we were playing or anything, but physically at the end of the day we came up short. You could see why they are around the top of the league.”
Barnstaple led 28-9 at the break thanks to tries by Tyler Gordon-Oke (2), Sam Roberts and Brandon Moore, with Matt Grieveson kicking three penalties for the hosts.
Ivybridge did cut that lead straight at the start of the second period with a converted try by Matt Skeemer before Prout was injured.
But then Barnstaple ran away with it scoring further tries courtesy of Ross Swales, Cameron Grizzle-Johnson, Dan Robson, Matt Gohl (2) and Jonny Carter.
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
PLYMSTOCK Albion Oaks have opened up a nine-point lead at the top of the Western West table after they stunned Tavistock 57-19 at Horsham Fields on Saturday.
Tavistock had beaten Oaks 27-26 at Sandy Park in October and their biggest defeat all season had only been by nine points.
But they came up against a really fired up Oaks team who had been keen to prove a point after that loss at Tavistock earlier in the season.
“That was our first loss of the season and we learned a lot from that,” said Oaks coach Lewis Paterson after Saturday’s big win.
“We did really want to turn up for this one.
“We had put a bit of pressure on ourselves in the league after losing at Wivilescombe so we wanted to get a good game under our belts and a good score – and we did.
“I think that was probably our first 80-minute performance which was really good.
“I think that probably was one of our best performances. That was a good outfit and so to put that score on them just shows that we probably could compete in the league above. However, we have to do that every week, and that’s the trick.”
Oaks were also boosted by second-placed Paignton slipping up at home to Penryn, whose only previous away win all season was against struggling neighbours Falmouth.
For Tavistock it was their fourth straight loss and has seen them drop down to seventh in the standings.
“We made too many mistakes and they were better than us – that pretty much sums it up,” said Tavistock head coach Joel Caddy.
“We gifted them three tries it the first half which put them on the front foot.
“We were just second best.
“It is probably fair to say that it might have been our worst performance of the season. Credit to Oaks they were decent and took their chances, while we were a bit disjointed with different players here and there.”
Tavistock were not helped by a nasty looking knee injury to new signing Leione Cole, who had to be stretchered off just on the stroke of half-time.
But by then Oaks were already well in command. They led 33-12 at the break, having played uphill in the first half as well.
The home side got the perfect start with Corey Jamieson scoring after less than five minutes after Paterson had initially done well attacking from a line-out move.
But Tavistock did then get going and took a 12-7 lead. Jordan Taylor showed good strength to score their first try in the right corner after scrum-half George Hillson had attacked from a quick-tap penalty.
Then four minutes later fellow winger Liam Watts intercepted an attempted kick over his head and ran in unopposed down the left before running in under the posts.
However, two tries in two minutes by Oaks put them in command. Flanker Ollie White scored from a catch-and-drive move before full-back Alex Chapman scored straight from the restart to make it 21-12.
A poor Tavistock kick then allowed Matt Jackson to touch down and from the next restart Oaks scored again through full-back Chapman after a kick through. Cole was hurt trying to stop the kick and as there was only a couple of minutes to go before half-time the referee ended the half early to allow the Tavistock player to receive treatment and be stretchered off.
Oaks completely put the game to bed in the opening 15 minutes of the second half with tries by backs Duncan Bibby and Paterson, who was able to run through a host of tackles to score under the posts. That made it 47-12.
Visiting hooker Hammy Kerswill scored from a catch-and-drive move to give Tavistock some hope of at least maybe getting a bonus point out of the contest.
However, Chapman completed his hat-trick with a try in the left corner before replacement hooker Joe Donnelly went over in the opposite corner after Jackson had done well.
Tavistock should have scored a fourth try in the closing stages when they pushed Oaks off a scrum right on the try line, but somehow, they were unable to ground the ball, which summed up their bad day at the office.
COUNTIES TWO CORNWALL
SALTASH kept the pressure on title rivals Redruth II with a convincing 52-0 away victory at St Austell II.
It was the third league game running that Saltash had scored more than 50 points and denied their opponents a single try.
They took time to settle into Saturday’s contest which was interrupted by an injury to a St Austell player after 10 minutes and various other stoppages during the first half.
However, Lewis Woolaway put the Ashes ahead following a maul close to the home line after 13 minutes and Jack Pritchard converted.
Play was even until Will Morton came over from the right wing and touched down to increase their lead to 12-0.
Good Ashes defence kept St Austell out as they pressed hard but then full-back Ryan Cruickshanks ran through the home side for a converted try after 34 minutes.
He scored again just before the interval after some good handling by Saltash to gain the bonus point after a long first half.
Jason Carroll got his name on the scoresheet early in the second period with a well-worked converted try.
St Austell continuously probed the visiting defence but were repelled each time and after 54 minutes number eight Ryan Rayner touched down as the Ashes forwards went over the home line to make it 40-0.
Greg Eatwell, who was returning after a period out due to an injury, got a good try in the 66th minute shortly after coming off the bench.
A tiring St Austell team conceded a try at the end as Lewis Stuart ran in under the posts to complete a satisfactory Ashes victory.
It was a good team performance by Saltash in difficult circumstances where again they kept a clean defensive record.
Pritchard played well and kicked six conversions, while Phil Eatwell, in his 200th appearance for the club, was at his best in defence and attack. Danny Snook, Billy Dover and Carroll had big contributions as they controlled the game in midfield.
In the same division, Liskeard-Looe handed Redruth II a home walkover.
COUNTIES TWO DEVON
OPMs bounced back from a tough couple of weeks with a crucial 21-20 home victory over Exeter Saracens.
Alex Jewell scored the match-winning try, which was brilliantly converted by Matt Smale, to secure ninth-placed OPMs four valuable points, which has moved them six points clear of city rivals Plymouth Argaum.
It was the perfect response after losing 99-0 away at Torquay Athletic and then travelling to Barnstaple II short of numbers last weekend and handing them a walkover before playing a ‘game-on’ 12-a-side fixture.
“It was good to get a win under our belts and Exeter Saracens are a decent side,” said OPMs’ injured captain Billy Garratt. “But I think we just came with a bit more intensity and a bit more energy.
“We trained Tuesday and Thursday with a game-plan and we stuck to it.”
OPMs were leading 14-12 at the break. Forward Pete Marr had scored their first try from the back of a five-metre scrum before centre Callum Morgan ran straight through the middle of Exeter Saracens from a scrum move to score under the posts.
Exeter Saracens, who had shocked title-chasing Torquay Athletic the previous week, did kick a penalty to go in front after the interval and then added an unconverted try to make it 20-14.
But OPMs showed good character to hit back.
A good kick over the top by Fred Smale was collected by Jewell who they exchanged passes with Matt Smale before scoring in the corner.
It was a difficult kick for Matt Smale, but he put it over and his side were able to secure the win.
Plymouth Argaum will not be keen to play Torquay Athletic in a hurry again after they were beaten 69-0 at home by the south Devon side.
That followed on from a 101-0 defeat by the title-chasing outfit away in October.
“It was another tough one,” said Argaum head coach Dean Avery.
“I think we had their reaction to their hangover from last week (losing to Exeter Saracens) as they were all firing and they played some really good rugby.
“They would go through three or four quick phases and we just couldn’t get back on-side. They were scoring a lot of the times around the outside, which I suppose is a positive.
“At times we were in the game and put together some good phases but just couldn’t quite keep hold of the ball.
“The players stuck in there – and credit to them – but we have to change something if we don’t want that to happen two or three times a season. We do have to get better to compete at this level.
“Hopefully, we will get a response next week and the rest of the season.”
Argaum were not helped by not having the likes of Dan Smith, Tom Worboys, Jake Turfrey, Eddie McGinley and Al Percival available for the game against a Torquay side who included their coach and former Plymouth Albion and Gloucester player Dan Williams on their bench.
The visitors did the damage in the first half as they ran in six tries courtesy of Matt Allanson, Joel Armitage, Jonny Brown, Callum Crocker, Shane Wakeham and Morgan Alcock to lead 40-0.
And Alcock, George Helmore, Wakeham, Armitage and Craig Withers added further scores after the interval.
Devonport Services II’s title challenge looks like it might be over after they narrowly lost 14-10 away at South Molton.
Yianni Costas scored Services’ only try at Unicorn Park with Kieran Down converting that and also adding a penalty.
Services II have dropped down to third now. They are 10 points behind leaders Barnstaple II and four behind Torquay, who do have a game in hand.
Ivybridge II were able to get a team out this week and picked up a losing bonus point in a narrow 19-14 defeat at Honiton.
COUNTIES THREE
SECOND-placed Tamar Saracens claimed their biggest win of the season as they overcame struggling Totnes 92-0 at the Parkway on Saturday in Devon South & West.
Totnes had travelled with just 16 players and did end up going down to 14 and just could not match Saracens’ fire-power.
“To be fair to them, they turned up and gave it their all,” said Saracens’ Pete Lethbridge. “They were missing people, but they did battle to the end.
“It was a good all-round performance from us. Our line-out was a bit hit and miss as we didn’t have a regular hooker, but our scrum was strong and the forwards played well while the backs played really, really well on a heavy pitch.
“And the big thing was we didn’t pick up any injuries either.”
Captain Joey Pook gave Sarries the lead with an early try. Joe McKinley then scored after good play by Alex Parry from the restart.
Parry then touched down before Lew Harris, Rob Hall, Rhys Garbett and Josh Heath added further tries to make it 47-0 at half-time.
After the interval, Harris, Jake Blasdale, Josh Perkins, new signing Leon Richards (2), Marc Cioffi and Jordan Maddocks added further touch-downs.
Hall ended up with 10 conversions and Harris one.
Old Techs got back to winning ways with a 22-12 bonus-point win away at Tavistock II.
The Weston Mill club had a number of players back from their shock defeat at Totnes in their last match and pulled away in the second half at Sandy Park.
Tavistock II had gone 7-0 up but Techs hit back with a try by new player-coach Billy Evans after Josh O’Hare had broken away.
The match was all square at 7-7 at the break, but Techs had the wind and slope to their advantage after the interval and Will Booth, James Douglas and Ollie Davey scored tries to make it 22-7 before Tavistock II did score a consolation effort at the death.
“I think possibly the Totnes game needed to happen as it was a bit of a reality check for us,” said chairman David Evans.
“This week we had 23 players to pick from so we had a strong bench and there is a good vibe around the club.”
The win has moved Techs up to sixth place in the table.
Seventh-placed Plymstock Albion Oaks II had to dig deep to see off Plympton Victoria 17-7 at St Mary’s Field on Saturday.
Oaks II, who had beaten Plym Vic 56-19 in October, had made the short trip with a strong squad that featured a number of players who had turned out for the club’s first team.
The visitors took an early lead with an interception try for Ben Ross which Joe Spencer converted.
But the rest of the half was mainly all Plym Vic, who kept Oaks pinned in their 22 for long periods.
Eventually, the home side’s pressure did tell and Jayson Cleverley scored and Jordan Blair added the conversion to level the score at the break.
However, two unconverted tries after the interval were enough for Oaks to secure the win.
Oaks captain Stu Collyer said: “The half-time chat was all about work-rate, and how we were doing enough to get by, but not enough to win, and we needed to up our levels considerably.
“With an extremely dominant scrum and with the introduction of Atu Kovula from the bench we started to make in-roads into the Vics defence, eventually scoring a well-worked try in the corner by flying Fijian Ben Turua.
“The game was littered with errors, scrum after scrum, and not a great deal of ball for the backs, but 15 minutes to go, scrum-half Will Scantlebury broke down the blind side for a 60-metre run, breaking two tackles along the way, before offloading to the impressive Luke Austin who bundled over for the try.
“We were disappointed at how hard we made the win, but it’s the sign of a great team when you can win a game by playing ugly and below the standards you set yourselves.”
Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt said: “It was a really close game, but we gifted them their first try, which sort of set the tone for the rest of the game. It was a day of should have, would have, could have, but the lads acquitted themselves well and again it gives a great indication of the direction the club is moving in considering the last time we played Oaks they battered us.”
In Counties Three Cornwall, Saltash II lost 43-24 at home to Hayle.
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