PLYMSTOCK Oaks’ title hopes suffered a blow as they were beaten 14-5 away at Penryn.
It means with three games to go they stay in second place, but they have now played the same number of fixtures as leaders Tiverton, who are one point ahead of them.
Third-placed Paignton, who they play on the final weekend, could also overtake them if they win their game in hand against Bude.
Oaks were frustrated to lose in Cornwall on Saturday. They felt they didn’t get the rub of the green in terms of decisions as sixth-placed Penryn made it 10 wins out of 10 at home this season.
“We went down with a good side and we thought we played really well,” said head coach Lewis Paterson.
“Penryn have a good home record, so it was always going to be a bit of a battle.
“The lads played really well and it was a shame not to come away with the win, let alone a point.
“I think the result was there for the taking, but we just didn’t get the rub of the green – we weren’t getting the 50-50s.
“I think we got pinged 40 or 50 times for penalties.
“It was wet and boggy and one of those games where we had to be a bit more clinical.
“From penalties they worked their way to our try line and capitalised, so fair play.
“It was a close game and a real up-front battle, but I think it is one of those that you just have to move on from and say well done Penryn.
“We’ll just lick our wounds and just say it was one of those days at the office and just try and win the rest of our games.”
Penryn scored a try in each half, while Oaks’ touch-down came in the second period from Corey Jamieson.
Tavistock finally claimed their first win of 2024 and ended a six-game losing run as they beat relegation-threatened Bude 33-7 at a wet and windy Sandy Park on Saturday.
The first half was really tight and Tavistock only led 7-0 after scoring when Bude were down to 13 men.
But once Tavistock scored a second try after the break to go two scores ahead then their confidence seemed to grow, and they then ran away with the game.
“We played into the conditions first half,” said Tavistock head coach Joel Caddy. “To turn around 7-0 in front at half-time in what appeared to be a times a monsoon wind was bloody good.
“It wasn’t the prettiest of games, but the desire from them all to back each other up and make their tackles and everything else paid dividends.
“You couldn’t fault anyone for commitment. You could probably argue that if we had played like that since the new year then we might have won a few more games.
“Lads really stepped up. Considering all the names and faces we were missing, I was happy. It was just a shame we let that last try in. It would have been nice to have nilled them.”
He added: “Martin Budden played and rolled back the years. He looked like he had never been away for a week and then Schuey (Andrew Shuttkacker) came on and did what he does.
“But really it was about the young men like Vaughan Glover, Tylo Coupland, Calum Baker. It was a pretty young team out there.”
Bude found themselves on the wrong side of the referee early on, giving away a host of penalties and on 15 minutes they had two players yellow carded as Tavistock pressed.
And the two-man advantage quickly told as Tavistock opted for a scrum from a penalty close to the line on the right and they quickly threw it inside where centre Jack Rock was able to force his way over under the posts. Hillson kicked the easy conversion to make it 7-0.
But despite being two men down, Bude actually had some really good pressure and they thought they had scored on 23 minutes, but they were ruled to have been held up.
Towards the end of the half, Tavistock had the chance to increase their lead from a tap penalty near the try line, but Bude defended well.
Any hopes Bude had of doing the double over Tavistock, having beaten them 32-26 at their place in November, disappeared early in the second half.
Just eight minutes after the break, Tavistock got their second try after charging down an attempted Bude clearance kick and then dragging them back over the try-line to win a five-metre scrum. From the set-play the hosts pressed and Joe Burbage eventually went over on the left.
A third try followed on 60 minutes when Al Spicer won the race to a kick forward to score on the right. Hillson added the conversion to make it 19-0.
That try seemed to bring Tavistock to life, while Bude’s head appeared to drop and three minutes later the home side bagged a fourth try, when Hillson ran from his own half to score after Bude lost the ball following an attacking scrum.
Rock then added his team’s fifth and his second on 69 minutes.
But Bude did keep going and they were rewarded for their efforts with a late try by captain Harvey Cholwill, which Ollie Denford converted.
In Counties Two Devon, a strong Ivybridge II side beat sixth-placed South Molton 19-17 away.
The Bridgers’ second string this week included Mat Grieveson, George Montgomery, Adam Northcott, Ben Hooper, Giles Clarke and Charlie Teague, who have been regular first teamers this season.
Both teams scored three tries apiece, but one extra conversion proved the difference.
Dan Skeemer, Grieveson and Teague scored tries for bottom side Ivybridge II, while Brendan Darley, Jack Routley and Jake Cook touched down for South Molton.
The Ellis Trophy final will be between Old Techs and Plymstock Oaks II after they both came through semi-final matches at the weekend.
Techs beat league rivals Plympton Victoria 24-8 at St Mary’s Field, while Oaks II saw off Tavistock III 38-5 at Horsham Fields.
Number eight Josh O’Hare, back after injury, scored two of Techs’ four tries against Plym Vic, with prop James Bothma and full-back Dan Pullen also crossing the whitewash and Billy Evans adding two conversions.
Plym Vic’s points came from a Jordan Blair try and a penalty by Chris Barratt.
“I thought we dominated the game in really poor conditions,” said Techs chairman David Evans. “There were good performances from Lee Pulliston and new signing Ryan Traynor-Smith. There was also a welcome return after three months in Norway for 29 Commando Tom Blythe.”
Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt said: “We played a lot better and we were in the game for a long period of time, but it just went away from us in the last 20 minutes when we had two forwards yellow carded and against an Old Techs pack you are going to struggle when you are two forwards down. Techs always have a strong pack.
“But we played some good rugby and it was a pleasing day of rugby.”
Oaks II ran in six tries as they saw off Tavistock III in horrible conditions at Horsham Fields.
Jon Baldwin-Nygaard bagged two, with fit-again Tomasi Keresi, Connor Thompson, Chris Jewell and
Steve Cole also crossing the whitewash and Keresi kicking four conversions.
Oaks II captain Stu Collyer said: “Conditions were horrendous, the pitch was already cut up from the earlier colts match, and it made for a scrappy but entertaining encounter.
“The big positive for us was welcoming back Tomasi Keresi from injury. We lost him earlier in the season after a string of outstanding performances, but it was massive to have him back out there.
“We were also able to play three of our 17-year-old colts – Freddie Williams, Cobey Bradford and Chris Jewell, which is huge for the club.
“All three have integrated well with the seniors and to see them out there was a real privilege.
“There were big performances from Jon Baldwin-Nygaard at nine, Keresi at 10, and Owen Paterson in the centres but they were eclipsed by Connor Thompson at hooker.
“Connor has played almost everywhere this season, he trains week-in week-out, and he takes every game likes it’s the most important of the season.
“He covered every blade of grass and puddle of mud and capped it all with a fine try.
“It’s my final season as second team captain, so to lead the boys to another final – that’s three years in a row we’ve made finals – is really a huge thing for me and one I’ll treasure for a long time.”
In the Pedrick Cup, Plymouth Marjon beat OPM Jesters 55-14 at Cross-in-Hand, while a Devonport Services III/Vets team won 36-5 away at Okehampton. However, Services’ colts 25-5 win over Bideford.
Services’ Yianni Costas, Ethan Millard, Isaiah Akinrowo, Billy Sutton, Jack Connor, George Pooley, Ethan Hilland and Leighton Stark and Ivybridge’s Dan Gloyns, OPMs’ Matt Smale and Tavistock’s Jake Gaskin helped Devon U20s to a 34-24 win over Torbay Sharks in mid-week at Cross-in-Hand.
Pictures are low resolution and are protected by copyright so should not be used without permission.