REGIONAL One South West leaders Devonport Services continued their title push with a convincing 69-19 away win at bottom side Weston-super-Mare on Saturday.
However, the eye-catching victory in Somerset did come at a cost as star second-row Mike Rickard suffered a suspected fractured ankle that is likely to rule him out of Services’ remaining six league games.
“Unfortunately, it looks like we might have lost Mike Rickard for the season, which is a big loss for us,” admitted head coach Ben Russell. “But we do have a bigger squad than last year.”
Services did show their strength in depth on Saturday by making five changes to their team that had beaten title-rivals Chew Valley the week before. James McFarlane, Tyler Busfield, Ethan Millard, Dylan Daley and Toby Lean all came into the starting line-up at Weston.
Devonport scored 11 tries at the Recreation Ground as they scored more than 60 points for the first time this season.
However, Russell was not too happy his side allowed Weston-super-Mare to score three tries in the first half.
“We were 14-0 up after six minutes but have then tried to do too much and let them back in,” he said.
“We have then scored another, but once again have then tried too much and let the back in with a try.
“I think the half-time score was 38-19, but we then defended better second half and cut them apart at times, which was good.
“We have done well and got five points. We ticked the box and now have six games left.”
Mark Friend got Services off the mark in Somerset with an early try, which Richard West converted.
Prop McFarlane then went over for another converted try before Weston pulled it back to 14-12.
Backs Tom Davies and Daley then crossed the whitewash to make it 26-12 before Weston came back again.
However, Services pulled away before half-time with tries backs Harrison Coonick and Lean before Rickard’s injury.
It was one-way traffic after the interval with Coonick and Daley going over for second tries and Millard, Freddie Davies and Andy Pond also adding five-pointers.
West kicked four conversions in the first half and Dan Goldstone added three in the second period.
It looks like it is going to be a very nerve-wracking end to the season for Ivybridge, who were beaten 40-12 away by Devon rivals Brixham on Saturday.
Their hopes of staying up were not helped by their relegation rivals St Austell and Matson also winning.
They are now third-from-bottom and are just three points clear of the drop zone.
The Bridgers conceded a try after just two minutes against Brixham and were left with a mountain to climb after changing ends at 20-0 down.
JP Simonetti, Jamie Hext and Matt Crosscombe scored tries for the Fisherman in the first half to go with a conversion and penalty from Joel Ashworth.
After the interval, Brixham extended their lead to 30-0 with an Ashworth penalty and then a converted try by centre Louie Drennan.
Ivybridge, without experienced backs Matt Grieveson and Ben Watts, did finally get into the game and really put Brixham under pressure.
Charlie Briant and Matt Skeemer scored tries, with Sam Brown, playing his last game for the club before moving to Australia, adding a conversion to make it 30-12.
However, a kick-and-chase try against the run of play by home scrum-half Marsden Criddle took the momentum out of Ivybridge’s comeback.
JP Simonetti then finished the scoring for the hosts.
Saturday’s loss followed on from Ivybridge going down 68-16 at home to Barnstaple last weekend.
“I think there is a lack of confidence when playing these big physical teams as we aren’t a physical side,” admitted Ivybridge head coach Davy McGregor.
“Last week really took it out of the boys from both a physical perspective and emotionally as well, as we were bullied.
“It was a bit of the same this week as our set-piece struggled as it was just over-powered and we couldn’t really hold the ball as we were trying to force it when we did get an opportunity.
“And Brixham were quite clinical. But I knew what Brixham were going to offer at home and I knew that they were going to be a hard side to beat – there was no illusion there.
“I do think we need to sometimes dig a bit deeper, but this is probably the first time Ivybridge has had to dig deep, which puts a lot of added pressure on.
“It’s two big heavy defeats and the games are not getting any easier.”
McGregor admits it is a blow to be losing Brown, especially with the injuries they have got.
“We are at bare bones most weeks so to lose another player is a tough one,” he said.
“We said after the game that there were four lads who were injured and three unavailable so that’s half the team, but that’s been the story of our season.”
Ivybridge did hand a debut from the bench to student Ben Davies, while Harrison Legge made his 50th appearance for the club.
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
LEADERS Plymstock Oaks were brought crashing down to earth on Saturday as they were hammered 44-0 away at second-placed Tiverton.
It was Oaks’ biggest defeat of the season and the first time they had not scored a single point in a game for more than six years.
Just seven days earlier Oaks had been on a big high after beating Tavistock 57-19 at home to increase their lead at the top.
Now their advantage at the summit is down to just four points, with both Tiverton and Paignton breathing down their necks with five games to go.
Tiverton were always in command and led 24-0 at the break thanks to tries by backs Alex Curtis, Ben Bingham (2) and Alex Pike, plus two conversions from Bingham.
After the interval, Bingham kicked a penalty before centre George Whiting scored two tries and then winger Mike Butt finished off the scoring with a try started in Tiverton’s own 22.
Tavistock’s poor run of form continued on Saturday as they were beaten 24-7 at home by Wiveliscombe, who had not previously won on their travels this season.
It was a fifth defeat in a row for Tavistock, who are now down to eighth in the table.
Their only points on Saturday came from a try by man-of-the-match Jack Easton, which George Hillson converted.
“They (Wiveliscombe) were a lot better than when we played them at their place,” said Tavistock head coach Joel Caddy.
“And they were the better team on the day.
“We would put three or four decent phases together but would then seem to panic or people would just not work hard enough for the next phase.
“They went 17-0 up and the scoreline probably was not really a reflection of the first half but they took their chances and we didn’t.
“It was not like the whole team played badly, but it was just another frustrating day at the office.
“That’s five (defeats) on the bounce now and I can’t say I’m enjoying it.
“But it will come. We have got the players, but we just have to start getting them on the pitch all at once.
“Every week there’s a number of changes and this week was one of the worst.”
He added: “It was Hammy Kerswill’s 200th league game for the club and we sort of let him down a bit as we could have been better.”
Having lost forwards Jamie Legg, Leion Cole and Seb Cox to injuries the previous week and with backs Charles Bowden, Al Spicer, Jordan Taylor and Ethan Lamerton all unavailable, Tavistock were not helped on Saturday by losing backs Freddie Fuller and Jack Rock to injuries. It meant forwards Jack Osborne and Vaughan Glover had to fill in at centre.
COUNTIES TWO CORNWALL
TITLE-chasing Saltash ran in 18 tries as they put mid-table Helston to the sword at Moorlands Lane on Saturday.
The Ashes ran out 100-15 winners to really keep the pressure on their promotion rivals Redruth II.
It was a great day all-round for Saltash as their colts side beat Camborne 15-5 to reach the Cornwall Cup final and their second team also triumphed 31-17 at Redruth Albany.
The first team match was very one-sided and the scoreline could have been far greater had the home side not missed 13 conversions.
A plucky Helston did penetrate the Ashes rear guard on two occasions to touch down and even took the lead after three minutes with a penalty, but they spent most of their time repelling constant attacks from a free-flowing home team.
Saltash gained their try bonus point after only 21 minutes with scores from Lewis Woolaway, Ryan Cruickshanks from a kick ahead, Will Morton, who ran through the Helston defence, and Danny Snook.
A strong break by skipper Lewis Wells gave Ryan Rayner a try but soon after the Ashes were reduced to 14 following a yellow card. Rayner and Morton took the lead to 37-3 before Helston replied with a converted try after 38 minutes.
The final score of the first half was from another Snook try to make it 42-10.
The second period started with Morton charging down a clearance kick before touching down and Wells broke through for his try.
Fin Jones then crossed the line for a converted touch-down to make it 59-10.
Greg Eatwell came off the bench for his 100th appearance and jinked his way over the line, but following a rare visiting break through the Ashes defence after 58 minutes Helston got a deserved try.
Home scores kept coming from Cruickshanks, Jason Carroll (2), Greg Eatwell and Morton, who finished with five. Nick Blake, who also came on for his 100th appearance, kicked four conversions and Jack Pritchard one.
Saltash’s colts team had to work a bit harder for their 15-5 semi-final home win over Camborne.
In a scrappy first half, Saltash scored two tries through Freddie Dover and Nathan Farley with Camborne replying with a touch down after a line-out.
The second period was much of the same and, without playing well, the Ashes clinched victory in the 78th minute when Farley went over for his second try to secure them a place in the final.
COUNTIES TWO DEVON
NINTH-placed OPMs picked up two valuable away points from a 5-5 draw at fifth-placed Honiton.
The game might not have been a thriller and OPMs were not too happy with their performance, but they are now well clear of the drop zone.
With second-from-bottom North Tawton losing at bottom side Ivybridge II, OPMs are 18 points clear of them, although North Tawton do have a game in hand.
The Old Boys did look like might be returning home with a defeat, but Fred Smale managed to slip through three tackles in the final minute to score in the corner. Unfortunately, unlike last week, his brother, Matt, could not add the touchline conversion to win the game.
“We really didn’t play our best rugby,” admitted injured captain Billy Garratt. “It was a bit of a disappointing performance from us to be fair. We were very slow out of the blocks – very lethargic.
“But we went with the target of coming home with some points – and we did – so we didn’t let ourselves down in that way.
“We just let ourselves down a bit by not performing as we can. We are a lot better than the performance we put out this weekend.
“The main aim for us now is just to keep getting points in every game we play – whether that is one point, four points or five points. We just want to keep getting points, make sure we stay in this league and build for next season.”
Plymouth Argaum might have been well beaten 61-28 away at fourth-placed Exeter Saracens, but they did return with a valuable bonus point, which keeps them 11 points ahead of North Tawton, who sit in the final relegation spot.
“We got a bonus point and there were plenty of positives,” said Argaum head coach Dean Avery.
“There was a really good attitude, but we just fell off a few tackles.
“They were a good outfit, big and very physical but we competed.”
He added: “We played into the very strong wind first half. We went in 26-7 down, but then we came out with the wind behind us and we managed to get ourselves back in the game and it was 26-14.
“Then Eddie McGinley broke clean through but his quad pulled so he went down and from that they managed to get the ball back and score, so it was a changing point in the game.
“Eddie had to go off, also Al Sullivan and Tom Shepherd went off and Darren Ewers got yellow carded and the game just slipped away from us.
“But there was still really good determination from the boys and we scored with the last play of the game to come away with a bonus point, so it wasn’t a wasted trip to Exeter.
“And we still have the likes of Dan Smith, Owen Gocher and Dave Clack to come back in.
“We are still in a reasonable position, but I don’t want to be third-from-bottom – I want us to be mid-table. Hopefully between now and the end of the season we can start climbing the table.”
Devonport Services II moved back up to second in the table after they beat Withycombe 33-13 at the Rectory on Saturday.
Services II went in front with an early try by Toby Moss, but Withycombe closed the gap with a penalty by Lewis Tose.
However, two penalties by Lewie Riley put Services 11-3 ahead before Sam Fincham and Moss added tries before the break to give the hosts a 21-3 half-time lead.
Matt Richards bagged their fourth try after the interval before Max Cooke and Ben West scored tries for Withycombe.
However, the final word went to Devonport with Ethan Hilland going over for a converted score.
Bottom side Ivybridge II claimed their first win since November when they beat North Tawton 23-18 at Cross-in-Hand.
COUNTIES THREE DEVON SOUTH & WEST
OLD TECHS produced a strong second half performance to see off a spirited Plympton Victoria side 34-0 at Weston Mill on Saturday.
Techs were only 5-0 up at the break and Plym Vic were making it really hard for them.
But the home club took command of the contest at the start of the second period with three tries in the opening 10 minutes of the half.
“I think the first half – I wouldn’t say we didn’t turn up – but there was probably too many players hiding a bit,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith.
“At half-time we had some harsh words and players were told that too many were hiding away and that we needed to go out and play our brand of rugby, and they did that second half.
“We haven’t got any complaints as they listened to what we said at half-time and we got five tries second half.
“At the break we were saying ‘look it is only 5-0 and anything can happen. If we carry on like this then we could quite easily lose this game and have another Totnes on our hands’.
“Plym Vic came at us, but second half when we put our phases together and spread the ball wide we scored from different areas of the pitch.
“We got our big runners running at them and then spread it wide, which is what we are trying to do, and you saw the results.
“We did set a target of nilling them and not letting them in and we did that as well.”
Plym Vic were frustrated that the game just got away from them at the start of the second half.
“It was a game of two halves,” said Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt.
“In the first half we matched them physically and we were only 5-0 down at half-time.
“But we just went to sleep for 12 minutes and the damage was done and then it is hard to come back.
“But overall it was good to see our systems are working and we are coming on.”
Techs did come out fired up and dominated the opening 10 minutes. Brett Tunnicliffe gave them the lead with a try in the corner after Billy Evans had put a chip over the top that Jenson Baker collected before feeding Tunniclffe.
The hosts also had two other good chances to score but did not take them and Plym Vic grew into the game, with full-back Ronan Cons catching the eye. The visitors did have some good pressure mid-way through the half but just could not get on the scoreboard.
Techs, though, really stepped it up at the start of the second half. They got their big runners like Josh O’Hare, Ollie Davey and Evans going and that created space out wide.
The second period was less than four minutes old when Sion Norvill went over in the right corner after good play from a line-out on the left.
And nearly straight from the restart they bagged another try when the impressive Davey went over after an earlier good run by O’Hare. Evans converted that effort to make it 17-0.
Three minutes later Jenson Baker scored Techs’ fourth try after a good break by Evans.
Plym Vic were not helped by having number eight Conor Turner yellow carded in the 60th minute just when they were trying to get back into the game and a minute later lock Davey scored his second of the match from a line-out move.
Davey was then yellow carded and Plym Vic really put Techs under pressure. The visitors got a load of penalties in the 22 and camped on Techs line, but the home side really defended well to keep them out.
Brett Tunnicliffe was then yellow carded for a late shoulder charge on Cons, but the hosts still added to their tally with a try by lock Nathan Webb in the final minute of the game after another break by player-coach Evans.
Plymstock Oaks II made it three wins in a row with a 34-12 home victory over fifth-placed Salcombe.
Oaks II had lost to the Crabs away, but they always looked like they were going to win at Horsham Fields.
Miti Caqara scored two tries for them, with Sean Dunn, Will Scantlebury and Ryan Wills also crossing the whitewash. Scantlebury also added three conversions and a penalty.
Second-placed Tamar Saracens were left frustrated after Kingsbridge II handed them a walkover on Saturday, having previously told them they would be making the trip. It was the fourth time this season Kingsbridge have forfeited an away game – three of those have been against Plymouth side.
Tavistock II travelled with a makeshift team to Totnes and were beaten 25-14 by the bottom side.
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