IVYBRIDGE suffered a massive blow to their hopes of trying to escape the drop in Regional One South West as they were beaten 66-14 by relegation rivals Chew Valley at Cross-in-Hand on Saturday.
It was a game the Bridgers really needed to win to try and get out of the bottom two.
But they were always second best to an inspired Chew side, who ran in 10 tries – five in each half.
The visitors, who have now won three games in a row, totally dominated the opening 40 minutes and were 33-0 up at the break, with Ivybridge hardly touching the ball.
The home side were better in the second half, and did manage two tries, but that was little consolation after such a big and costly defeat to the team sitting just one place above them.
The South Hams club, who are bottom of the table, are now eight points away from safety with just five games to go.
Third-from-bottom Marlborough do have some tough fixtures – and do have to visit Cross-in-Hand – but Ivybridge will have to win at least two more games than the Wiltshire side to overtake them.
“We’ll just stay tight and see what happens,” said Ivybridge head coach Davy McGregor.
The Bridgers chief did not hide away from how disappointed he was with Saturday’s outcome.
“That’s the lowest result of the season,” he said. “Purely just for the way we allowed them to look like a far more superior team.
“They were very direct – and fair play to them.
“It just looked like there was more jeopardy for them in the game than there looked like for us.
“But at the same time, you can’t fault the boys for putting their bodies on the line. We had four head injuries, with three going to hospital, but the referee said he didn’t see anything.
“When you are down to 12 or whatever it was, that doesn’t help.
“Now it is just about seeing what happens, but we can’t be depending on any other results now.
“We just have to keep showing up.
“They (Chew) showed a little bit more belief than we did. Physically they were really dominant, but you couldn’t fault our boys, they did put their heads in there, it wasn’t like they weren’t trying.”
Ivybridge just could not get hold of the ball in the first half. Chew kept it really well and the home side’s line-out also let them down, which meant they could not even get any possession when they did get a penalty.
Chew went in front on six minutes when former Plymouth front-rower Dean Brooker scored from a line-out and number eight Daniel Brooker converted.
Ivybridge were giving away too many penalties and Matt Skeemer was yellow carded in the 17th minute. Seconds later, Chew scored their second converted try when centre Marcus Brooker went over from close range after the visitors opted for a scrum from the penalty.
The Somerset side then scored two tries within three minutes to totally take control of the game.
First, flanker Scott Parsons went over before Dean Brooker added a second from close range after some intense pressure.
That made it 28-0, as they were converted, and just before the break, Chew added another when Joe Webb touched down in the left corner after Dean Brooker put in a long pass out to his winger.
Ivybridge, who never threatened to score in the first half, did come out far better for the second period and within seven minutes Adam Northcott had pulled a try back after the home team had their first real spell of pressure. Ben Fallows added the conversion to make it 33-7.
Chew had a try disallowed from the restart but midway through the half they scored four within eight minutes.
Taylor Thatcher crossed on the left, before centre Joe Cowell scored two, including a stunning second one, and then fly-half Daniel Gatton got in on the act after Dean Brooker, who had a big game, again did well. That made it 59-7 to the visitors.
Chey Bryce and James Cantin both came agonisingly close to scoring in the clubhouse corner, before both sides had two players sin-binned after tempers flared.
Henry Trudgill did pull another score back for Ivybridge, but with the home side down to 12 players after losing George Wilson with injury, Chew added a 10th try in injury-time when Harry Stride scored after some more good play by Chew.
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
STRUGGLING Tavistock had to settle for two points after they were agonisingly beaten 27-26 away at Bude on Saturday.
It was the second time this season Bude had beaten them by just one score and Tavistock were once again left wondering what might have been had they not had to travel with just two replacements.
They did actually have the chance to win the match at the death after Liam Watts scored a try out wide, but Freddie Fuller just could not add the tough conversion.
“It was a proud performance and two points keeps us in the hunt,” said player-coach Hammy Kerswill.
“Taking nothing from Bude, as they got themselves over the line, but if we had 18 players we would have won.
“We just needed one more player of experience and it would have been enough to see us over the line.”
He added: “It was a really good game of rugby and we were proud of the effort, especially those who came out of the woodwork to play (Joe Dawe and Ollie Plummer).”
Bude went in front early with a try, but that was quickly cancelled out by one from Andrew Schuttkacker, who scored off the back of a scrum.
Bude did score two more tries before the break to lead 19-7 at the interval.
“We had our fair share of possession and territory, but we just lacked the final few phases needed to cross the line,” said Kerswill on the first half performance.
Tavistock were better in the second half, but Bude did extend their lead before Kerswill scored from a line-out move.
Schuttkacker then went in for a second try to put second-from-bottom Tavistock within a score and really make the game interesting.
Despite losing Jack Glover to a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on, Tavistock kept looking for a winning score.
And with the clock in the red, Watts, returning from injury, saw space behind and kicked through and gathered to touch down.
It was always going to be a big ask for Fuller to add the conversion from out wide. The kick had the legs but just went wide.
Tavistock stay second-from-bottom and they are six points behind St Ives and Penryn in ninth and 10th positions, respectively, but Tavistock do have a game in hand on Penryn, who they also still have to play.
Fourth-placed Plymstock Oaks were also beaten on their travels at the weekend in Western West as they went down 29-14 at in-form Barnstaple II.
Oaks had travelled with a makeshift team and were missing the likes of Lewis Paterson, Alex Chapman, Joe Donnelly, Joel Moran, Ollie White and Pete Keanie, but they did have prop Harvey Courtis back from playing a game for Brixham.
Oaks did start slowly and found themselves 19-0 down after just 14 minutes with Sam Carr, Chris Philpot and Liam Ducker scoring tries for Barnstaple II.
But Oaks pulled one back before half-time courtesy of Corey Jamieson, which Lew Riley converted.
Barnstaple II did go 26-7 ahead in the 53rd minute when Harvey Rostock touched down and converted, but Oaks threatened again and Corey Jamieson added another try in the 66th minute.
Rostock did kick a penalty in the final 10 minutes to move his side three scores ahead and end Oaks’ hopes of getting something out of the match.
COUNTIES TWO CORNWALL
JUST one more win might be enough for Saltash to be crowned Counties Two Cornwall champions after they were handed a walkover by St Austell II at the weekend and second-placed Helston were beaten by Falmouth.
The Ashes did play a ‘game-on’ friendly fixture at St Austell, which they won 90-0 to continue their impressive season.
They are now 19 points ahead of Helston with just five games to go.
Saltash could wrap up the title on February 15, if they claim a bonus point home win over Hayle and Helston fail to pick up a full five points away at Perranporth.
The Ashes did loan St Austell II backs Ethan Stone and Pete Reis, after the latter had made his first team debut for Saltash in the first half.
The free-scoring Ashes turned on the style and kept the scoreboard ticking over from the start.
They led 48-0 at the break thanks to tries by debutant Reis, Ryan Cruickshanks, Devon Bennett-Murray, Rob Walsh, Lewis Well, Ryan Rayner and two from James Moriarty. Scrum-half Jack Pritchard kicked four conversions in the opening 40 minutes.
The second half was much the same, although St Austell did control some ball and territory for long periods in the third quarter before Saltash stretched away once more.
Saltash’s second half tries came from Fin Jones, Cruikshanks (2), Danny Snook (2) and a superb individual effort from back Greg Eatwell.
Saltash II’s league fixture at Camborne School of Mines fell foul of a waterlogged pitch and has been re-scheduled.
Liskeard-Looe enjoyed a 24-12 home victory over St Just in Counties Two Cornwall.
COUNTIES TWO DEVON
TAMAR Saracens ended an eight-game losing streak by beating Exmouth II 29-14 at the Parkway to boost their hopes of staying up.
The much-needed win has lifted Sarries out of the bottom three with five games to go – three of which are against teams around them.
“It was a well-deserved win,” said Saracens’ Pete Lethbridge. “We played really, really well.
“I would say we dominated the whole game, but first half we just could not get over the line.
“But second half it just clicked and everything we did came off really well.
“We really took control of the game. Our set piece was good, our line-out, mauling and scrummaging were excellent.”
He added: “I can’t fault the boys after last week. They worked really hard, played for each other and we had some really cracking moves that came off. We’re really pleased. It was a good win for us.”
Despite having most of the possession in the first half, Sarries went behind when Exmouth II scored against the run of play.
But forward Joe Staniforth did pull a try back before half-time as Sarries trailed 7-5 at the interval on the heavy pitch.
Ratu Jale Bosevakaturaga Racaca came on for his Saracens debut in the second half and he made an instant impact scoring a try underneath the posts after a good break. Reiss Boon, playing just his second game for Sarries, added the conversion.
Alex Israel then went over for a try, which Boon converted to make it 19-7.
Another debutant, Josh Cotton, then bagged a try when he scored on the wing to make it 24-7.
And with about five minutes to go Tommy Windeatt scored in the corner to make it 29-7.
It looked like Sarries were about to add another in the dying seconds when they had an overlap, but they tried a long pass out and it was intercepted by Exmouth II, who ran the length of the field to score.
However, whereas Sarries eased their relegation fears, Plymouth Argaum have been left with a tough task on their hands to escape the drop after they narrowly lost 25-19 at home to Dartmouth.
Argaum, knowing it was a game that they really needed to win, made a good start and they were 12-5 up thanks to a penalty try and one from Karl Sullivan.
But the home side picked up a yellow card and Dartmouth took advantage of the extra man to score a converted try and then kick a penalty to go 15-12 ahead.
Argaum did have plenty of possession and territory but Dartmouth defended well and also little mistakes at crucial times cost the home team.
Dartmouth were better in the second half and they once again took advantage of a yellow card to kick a penalty and score another try to go 25-12 in front.
Argaum did keep going and they scored a converted try under the posts courtesy of Tom Mann at the end to at least pick up a bonus point.
A club spokesman said: “It was a well-contested game in difficult conditions but ultimately, we will look back on the first half when we had chances to increase our lead. Fair play to Dartmouth, who managed the game really well in the second half and deserved the victory.”
OPMs continued their good form by claiming a third consecutive win with a 44-24 home victory over Topsham II.
The Old Boys are now up to sixth in the table after a few weeks ago looking like they were in a relegation battle.
“It was a great win,” said OPMs team manager Shaun Grundy.
Captain Fred Smale scored two tries for the home side, who also had forwards Sonny Rowe and Tom Hughes crossing the whitewash to go with a penalty try.
Devonport Services II boosted their hopes of finishing second with a big 74-24 victory over South Molton at Keyham on Saturday.
Services ran in 12 tries on the newly-crumbed artificial pitch to claim their second highest score of the season.
However, relegation-threatened South Molton did pick up what could be a valuable bonus point after scoring four tries.
The visitors actually started the better of the two teams with their scrum and line-out proving strong. They quickly went in front with a converted try from a line-out.
But 13 minutes later, Services II did pull one back when they turned South Molton over on their own line and ran the ball out before Dan Beer went over the whitewash.
South Molton, however, responded with a second try to go 12-5 in front.
But Services II hit back to go 22-12 ahead at the break.
First, Isaiah Akinrowo showed strength to hold off a couple of tackles to score before backs Rhys Williams and Kayne Young went over for further tries.
After the interval, Dan Cooper scored following a tap penalty before New Zealander Josh Anderson touch-down and Leighton Stark converted.
Young then scored two quick tries to bag a hat-trick.
Beer then broke through from the 22 to add another, before player-coach Tom Richards did the same.
South Molton did keep going and got two tries to get the bonus point before Cooper and Jay Warren wrapped up the game for Services II.
COUNTIES THREE AND ROUND-UP
IVYBRIDGE II’s Devon South & West title hopes suffered a set-back as they were edged out 27-22 away at promotion rivals Brixham II.
The Bridgers’ second string, who had narrowly beaten Old Techs the previous week in a tough battle, were leading at half-time at Astley Park, but Brixham came back and just did enough to sneak the victory.
Ivybridge II do remain top, but Brixham II are just a point behind them now with a game in hand.
Old Techs are third, five points behind Ivybridge. Techs were handed a walkover by Plymstock Oaks II.
Paignton II are up to fourth after they beat Salcombe 18-14.
Techs do still have to play both Brixham II and Ivybridge II again, while Brixham II also have tricky away matches at Salcombe and Paignton II.
Ivybridge II do have the easiest run in, the only top half team they still have to play again is Techs on March 22.
Plympton Victoria did not have a match at the weekend, but their St Mary’s pitch was used by Plymouth Dolphins, whose development team beat Reading Renegades 62-10.
The first half was relatively tight, but Dolphins’ strong scrum got them on top and then they ran away with the match in the second period.
Scrum-half Joe Spurrell had an afternoon to remember by scoring four tries.
There was two for Will Daley, while Ben Daley, Jamie Dickinson, Ben Dean and Nick Helm also crossed the whitewash for the home side, whose strength in depth really showed.
The Dolphins’ development side are due to travel to Reading next weekend for a re-match with the Renegades.
Pictures are low resolution and are protected by copyright so should not be used without permission.