STRUGGLING Ivybridge face another big away match this weekend as they attempt to close the gap on the teams above them in Regional One South West.
The Bridgers, who sit second from bottom, make the trip to Wiltshire to take on league newcomers Marlborough.
It is the first league meeting between the sides, and it is an important one for Ivybridge, who sit three places and eight points behind their hosts.
It is a second successive away trip for the Bridgers, who were beaten 52-14 by St Austell in their last outing two weeks ago.
“It is going to be a big task for us away from home again,” said Ivybridge head coach Davy McGregor.
“We don’t know what to expect, although their squad seems to be a group of guys who want to play rugby.
“Marlborough are only one win ahead of us and we have had two games where we were within two points of winning.
“We know these next two games (against Marlborough and Lydney) we really have to target and push for. I think this is a real opportunity for us.”
Ivybridge currently sit in one of the two relegation spots and they are five points off safety after the opening nine games of the 22-match season.
McGregor said: “We always knew this season was going to be very tough for us with such a young and inexperienced squad.
“But we were in a similar position last year and one or two games can change your whole season.”
Ivybridge have spent the last couple of weeks trying to build the confidence up of the squad and reflecting.
“It has been a good opportunity the last couple of weeks for a bit of a re-set for everyone,” said McGregor. “The coaching group got together and made sure we are still all aligned – and I think we are.
“Sometimes you do need that belief in what you are trying to do, but it just takes time.”
McGregor says Ivybridge are still struggling with injuries ahead of their trip to Wiltshire.
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
WESTERN West leaders Plymstock Oaks are expecting a tough test when they make the short trip to Kingsbridge on Saturday.
Kingsbridge sit in seventh spot in the table, but they would be higher had they not been forced to hand a walkover to Wiveliscombe in October.
The South Hams club are unbeaten at home and did convincingly beat Oaks at High House last season.
“It is going to be a battle,” said Oaks head coach Lewis Paterson. “Kingsbridge are always a formidable force at home.
“They are always a strong side and to play them at this time of year will be a test.
“It is tight at the top and with these type of games you have to try and grind out a result, like we did with Wiveliscombe.
“The boys are looking forward to it.”
It is the first of two crucial games for Oaks in seven days as they head to the halfway point of the season.
After visiting Kingsbridge this weekend, they then host second-placed Paignton next Saturday.
“We are going to really have to target these games,” said Paterson. “If we can finish the first half of the year just losing one game that would be a massive improvement from last year and shows the quality we are producing. But we just have to take it game by game.”
Oaks are missing backs Alex Chapman and Joe Brearley this weekend, but they should have Lew Riley back.
Tenth-placed Tavistock have the difficult task of visiting high-flying Paignton this weekend.
Paignton are another team unbeaten at home, while Tavistock have not won away yet this season.
“It’s about as tough as they come, going away to Paignton,” said Tavistock captain and player-coach Hammy Kerswill. “But a small pitch and a week of rain may be favourable.”
Tavistock’s injury list has lengthened since beating Penryn at home in their last outing.
Rich Cann, Andrew Schuttkacker, Ed Tait, Liam Watts and Jack Rock are among those on the injury list.
“Unfortunately, our injury list has grown significantly,” said Kerswill, who himself has been struggling with an injury for weeks. “But we’ve had a few new players to the game turn up at training.”
They could be boosted by the return of Andrew Craddock, while George Cole has also returned to rugby.
COUNTIES TWO
THERE is a massive game at the Rectory in Counties Two Devon where Devonport Services II host fellow unbeaten side Torquay Athletic.
The pair have opened up a big game between themselves and the rest of the sides in the league, who have all lost at least three or more games.
Torquay have finished as runners-up in the league for the past two seasons and are desperate to get promoted this year, but Services II, who finished third last term, also want to make the move up to Western West.
“We are looking forward to it, as who doesn’t want to be involved in a top-of-the-table clash?,” said Services II coach Tom Richards.
“I think we are both unbeaten in nine games this season in the league, which is great.
“It’s good to see them (Torquay) doing so well. We always knew they were going to be strong and would be one of those teams at the top as you only had to look at their performances the last couple of seasons. They have narrowly just missed out (on promotion) the last two years.
“It’s going to be an interesting one.”
He added: “Hopefully, we can get some people to come down and support the boys as they have been doing fantastically well. They have really stepped up to the mark, especially those that have come through the youth set-up.”
Services’ first team are not in action this weekend, but they will not be boosting their squad with first teamers as, according to Richards, head coach Ben Russell is making sure they have a well-earned rest.
“We are not at our strongest as we have some boys missing,” said Richards.
However, Dylan Daley could make his long-awaited return from injury at the weekend.
Services II have struggled for a scrum-half in recent weeks as Billy Sutton was promoted to the first team squad with Daley and Kieran Down injured.
With so many injuries to the first team this season, Services II have not been as strong as they could have been, but they have still managed to win all nine of their games so far and picked up bonus points in eight of them.
Torquay, though, are the league’s top scorers with a massive 478 points from just eight games played (they were handed one walkover) and they have only conceded 67 points.
When the sides met at the Rectory last season, Torquay just edged it 11-10.
In the same division, Plymouth Argaum Tamar Saracens and OPMs are also at home.
Argaum are hoping the week off will have done them some good after three heavy defeats due to availability problems.
This weekend they host fourth-placed Exeter Saracens at Bickleigh Down.
“We are looking a lot better with availability; we have about 30 available this week,” said Argaum head coach Dean AVery.
“It’s nice to have some people back like Tom Holliday, Tom Mann, and probably Dan Smith.
“Hopefully, we are not too rusty, and we can put in a good performance at home.
“The pitch is going to be soft and hopefully that suits the game we want to play.
“It’s going to be a tough game, especially if they travel strong, but hopefully, we can get a win out of it as we have a club social afterwards.”
Tamar Saracens are at home to Topsham II on Saturday.
“They (Topsham) are a good side,” said Tamar head coach Mike Lewis. “Their first team are going well and they have good numbers.
“But as it is second team opposition you don’t really know what to expect.
“With second teams you can’t really do too much homework on them. We just have to do what we do well and hope it is enough.”
He added: “We are looking relatively good with numbers, but we do have a couple of key players missing like Lew Harris at nine and Joey Pook at eight. However, we do have some pretty capable boys coming in.”
Saracens have had two weeks to simmer on the frustration of losing by one point away at Dartmouth after they thought they had won the game with a penalty kick which they were convinced went through the posts, but it wasn’t given.
“Dartmouth was frustrating,” said Lewis. “We had so many boys away at the internationals and we only had 17 players, but we did really well and thought we had won it with nearly the last kick of the game. Everyone thought it had gone through (the posts), apart from their touch-judge.
“We were 10 points up at one stage, but because we didn’t have the boys to come off the bench we did get a bit tired towards the end, but this week we do have plenty available and hopefully we can make up for it.
Eighth-placed OPMs have a tough home match as they welcome third-placed Honiton to King George V Playing Fields.
Honiton were surprisingly beaten 17-16 away at Withycombe in their last outing, which is their only defeat to a team not in the top two.
But OPMs managed to avoid defeat to them last season. They drew 5-5 away in February and won 18-16 at home last October.
The Old Boys will be hoping to have a host of players back after they struggled with availability problems with the two games during the autumn internationals.
In Counties Two Cornwall, leaders Saltash will reach the halfway point of their season when they travel to third-placed Newquay Hornets.
The Ashes are currently 14 points clear at the top, albeit having played a game more than second-placed Helston and third-placed Newquay.
But if they could get another victory this weekend and complete the first half of the year unbeaten then they would be in a great position.
Newquay have been one of the surprise teams in the league this season and have only lost twice – both away from home. They have won five out of five on their own patch so far.
Saltash do have to make a number of changes to their team that impressively beaten Liskeard-Looe 79-10 in their last outing.
There is a new-look half-back pairing with Todd Crofts starting at nine and Billy Dover at 10 in the absence of Lewis Stuart and Jack Pritchard.
Jason Carroll comes in at centre, while James Sutton returns to the pack.
COUNTIES THREE
OLD Techs have been left without a game this weekend after Kingsbridge II pulled out of visiting Weston Mill.
“They said they only had six players,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith.
“It is a bit frustrating, especially after having a week off last Saturday and playing Ivybridge next week.
“We have been looking for a game as players do want to play, but I suppose if we don’t then we can’t pick up any injuries.”
Ivybridge II, who are level on points with Techs, are also without a game in that division this week as it was their blank weekend.
But seventh-placed Plympton Victoria are in action. They make the trip to south Devon to take on sixth-placed Torquay Athletic II.
The sides have enjoyed some good games over the last few years and Plym Vic did beat them in March at home. However, Plym Vic have found it a bit tougher away at the Recreation Ground.
Ninth-placed Plymstock Oaks II are due to host 10th-placed Totnes at home, while in Counties Three Cornwall, Saltash II are due to entertainment Lankelly-Fowey at Moorlands Lane.