DEVONPORT Services returned empty-handed from a trip over the Tamar to take on fifth-placed Redruth on Saturday in National Two West.
Services, missing a number of key players, were beaten 34-13 at the Recreation Ground as the Cornish club continued their impressive home form.
It was Devonport’s first defeat in three games and they are now 11 points from safety with five games to go.
“We were second best to be honest,” said Services head coach Ben Russell, whose side at shocked Redruth at home earlier in the season.
“We played some lovely rugby in parts, but we just lost the physical battle.
“They (Redruth) did exactly what we said they were going to do – they ran hard – and we just fell off too many tackles.”
He added: “We started quite well and we went 3-0 up, but then they had a purple patch where they just ran hard and we missed tackles and they scored three tries quickly.
“But we scored right at the end of the first half to make it 17-8 at the break.
“We were only 11 points behind at one point in the second half, but we gave away an intercept try.”
Services, already without forwards James Hocking, Joe Stansfield and Mike Rickard, were not helped by losing captain Matt Gregory in the warm-up to a back injury. They were also missing fly-half Richard West and winger Charlie Groves, while fellow backs Billy Sutton, Henry Gliddon, Jack Ryder, Leighton Stark, Dylan Daley, Luke Stannard and Ben Callard were also unavailable.
With no specialist fly-half available, second team player-coach Tom Richards played 10 on Saturday, while Ethan Millard came in at number eight at short notice to replace the injured Gregory.
Matt Neyle, making his first National League start after returning from a year-long injury, did put Services ahead with a penalty in the ninth minute.
But Charlie Levick, Lewis Thomas and Sam James scored tries in quick succession for Redruth to put them 17-3 head.
Services did get a boost just before the break when Andy Pond scored in the corner after Devonport pressed from a line-out.
After the interval, Jack King moved Redruth 24-8 ahead, but Billy Orchard, who once played a game for Redruth, pulled a try back for the visitors, which made it 24-13.
However, Thomas responded with a second try for the home side and 10 minutes before the end Luke Johnson wrapped up the scoring with an interception effort for Redruth.
REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST
IVYBRIDGE managed to delay relegation for another week in the most extraordinary of circumstances at Cross-in-Hand on Saturday.
The Bridgers beat fellow strugglers Marlborough 45-43, but for nearly 20 minutes after the match no-one was really sure who had won the contest.
Three points were suddenly knocked off Ivybridge’s score in the closing stages of the fixture and Marlborough then thought they had won as they scored a converted try with the last play of the game, eight minutes into added-on time.
Marlborough, looking at the scoreboard and thinking they had produced an amazing comeback to win 43-42, started celebrating believing they had massively boosted their hopes of staying in the league. They even posed for a celebration team picture.
But the referee, who was being assessed, was quickly made aware that there was an issue and, after discussions with officials from both clubs, he and an assessor disappeared in the clubhouse to go and ‘check’ the score.
Eventually the pair came out and confirmed that the result was 45-43 to Ivybridge.
It appeared that the official had given, but had not written down properly, a successful Ivybridge penalty kick in the second half.
It was an unsatisfactory ending for both teams and their supporters, especially considering what was at stake.
Had Marlborough won they would not have been able to have been caught by Ivybridge and would have moved four points above second-from-bottom Chew Valley, who lost to Matson at the weekend.
For Ivybridge, the win has probably only really delayed the inevitable. The only way they can survive is on games won, and only if Marlborough or Chew Valley do not pick up another single point from their two remaining matches and the Bridgers claim a maximum 10 points from their final couple of games.
However, Ivybridge did show plenty of spirit, desire and a real attacking edge on Saturday, but unfortunately, everyone is just going to remember the chaotic ending.
“I’ve never been involved with a game ending like that,” admitted Ivybridge skills coach Steve Atkinson. “We knew the score, but there was a bit of a debate. Luckily there were two assessors here.”
Atkinson was delighted with the performance, apart from the final few minutes when he admitted the ‘lads were just hanging’.
“We got a bonus point last week for four tries and another this week,” he said. “We don’t want to change too much as it is late in the season, but we have asked the lads to ship the ball a little bit more and they have done exactly what we have asked.
“We have also asked the lads just to dig in and just let the results happen and they have dug in well.”
Ivybridge totally dominated the first half and led 18-3 at the break, and their advantage could easily have been greater.
Matt Grieveson and Sione Matakaiango exchanged early penalties, but then Ivybridge totally took over.
Grieveson hit the post with a penalty before he did successfully put over another.
George Vertessy and Adam Lilley both scored in the left corner within six minutes of each other to make it 18-3.
Vertessy thought he had scored another, but he was just pushed into touch, while Ivybridge were also denied another try right at the end of the half.
They did increase their lead to 25-3 after the interval when Charlie Teague crossed in the right corner after good pressure following a scrum on the left.
Marlborough, with a strong South Sea influence in their squad, did hit back with two tries in two minutes courtesy of Sione Tamale and Manatu Leleifi to cut the gap to eight points.
Vertessy came close again before scrum-half James Cantin did score after Marlborough over-threw a line-out straight to him in their own 22. That made it 32-17.
On 60 minutes, Marlborough pulled another try back with number eight Jonasa Ciri Tabua scoring from the back of the scrum. The try was converted, but the extra two points did not appear on the scoreboard initially, which was the start of problems.
Grieveson kicked a penalty on 65 minutes and Marlborough were reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes.
Despite a man less, the visitors scored again with another try from Tabua. That made it 35-29, although the scoreboard had it as 35-27.
Ivybridge responded with a converted try from prop Wes Vermigle and the scoreboard was correctly showing 42-29 at that point.
Marlborough picked up another yellow card and Ivybridge went for a penalty in the 78th minute to move them three scores ahead. Giles Clarke kicked the penalty to make it 45-29.
But later on the scoreboard went back to 42-29 and in the first minute of injury-time, winger Akariva Seruvatu scored after a tap penalty by Tabua.
The scoreboard should have said 45-36, but it said 42-36 and so Marlborough’s players sensed a dramatic comeback. With time up, they kept the ball alive for nearly seven minutes before the impressive Tabua scored from close range and Matakaiango converted.
There were joyful scenes from the Marlborough players and confused looks from the Ivybridge team and spectators.
But 20 minutes later there was confused looks on the Marlborough players’ faces as the referee and assessor confirmed that Ivybridge had won the game.
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
PLYMSTOCK Oaks are set for a top four finish for the second season running in Western West after they convincingly beat Kingsbridge 56-19 at Horsham Fields on Saturday.
It was a perfect way for Oaks to respond to their defeat at St Ives the previous week and to losing 32-19 away at Kingsbridge earlier in the season.
“It was a good win,” said Oaks player-coach Lewis Paterson. “I felt we were really well-drilled.
“I think we were a team that went out looking for a bit of a bounce-back after St Ives, but also a team determined to get a good result against Kingsbridge.”
He added: “They (Kingsbridge) are a very good side and it wasn’t like they came down with a weak team, we were just a little bit on our game.
“We defended really well and we scored some fantastic tries with some great flowing rugby.
“But they kept in the fight a little bit and when we weren’t that clinical, they did capitalise quite well.”
Oaks led 28-3 at half-time, with hooker Joe Donnelly and wingers Corey Jamieson (2) and Alex Chapman scoring tries and Lew Riley adding the rest of the points with the boot.
Oaks were awarded an early penalty try at the start of the second half before scrum-half Will Scantlebury, Chapman and Ben Ross added further tries.
Second-from-bottom side Tavistock ended their home campaign with a 61-12 defeat to second-placed Paignton.
Tavistock are certain to finish in the bottom two and will have to wait until the end of the season to see how many are relegated from Western West, but there is a good chance they will drop out of the league.
Liam Watts and Andrew Schuttkacker scored tries for Tavistock.
“It was similar to last week in that it was spirited for about 55 minutes, but we didn’t have the legs,” said player-coach Hammy Kerswill.
“We were in the game for the first 30 minutes and we scored a well-taken try by Liam Watts at about 20 minutes.
“We had two yellow cards – Sam Palmer and Martin Budden – to go down to 13 men, which we fought hard with, but they did score one either side of the half with the advantage.
“After both returned we had a good passage and had a try disallowed before Shooie (Schuttkacker) went over from a quick-tap.
“Thereafter we ran out of legs and they moved the ball nicely.”
Like in previous weeks, Tavistock were scrapping around to get a side out.
They will finish their season with tough trips to title-chasing Pirates Amateurs and fourth-placed Oaks.
COUNTIES TWO
TAMAR Saracens are facing a real scrap on their hands to stay in Counties Two Devon after losing 50-0 away to in-form Topsham II.
Sarries were not helped South Molton surprisingly beating Withycombe away and Dartmouth also claiming a decent win.
The Ernesettle side have dropped to third-from-bottom, five points above second-from-bottom Exmouth II, who do at least finish with tough games against Topsham II and Torquay.
Saracens’ director of rugby Pete Lethbridge admitted his team were just beaten by a better side on Saturday.
“They (Topsham II) had a very, very good side out,” he said. “They were very strong and very well-drilled.
“Their hooker was outstanding and their nine and 10 ran the show.”
He added: “In spells we were good, but in spells we were bad.
“But we were just second to everything. We just fell off tackles and fitness got in the way, but they were a very good side.”
Plymouth Argaum are guaranteed to finish in the bottom two after they failed to make the trip to fourth-placed Exeter Saracens.
Argaum were unable to get a side to travel and handed their Exeter opponents the walkover.
It means they are set to be relegated to Counties Three Devon South & West.
OPMs were a bit frustrated they did not return with a bonus point from their trip to third-placed Honiton.
The Old Boys lost 36-19 yet they did have a chance late on to get a bonus-point fourth try, but just could not take it.
They paid for a poor first half where they trailed 36-0, but they did dominate the second period, out-scoring Honiton three tries to none.
“Some good, some bad,” was how OPMs team manager Shaun Grundy described the performance.
“It was one of those games that you look at and think if we had played like we did in the second half in the first, then it would have been a very different result.”
He added: “In the first half it was far too easy for them to get through.
“Again, we only had 17 players as an individual had car issues on the A38 on the way to the game. We also had a couple of injuries. Scrum-half Frankie McNulty only lasted five minutes as he picked up a significant knee injury.
“We came away with nothing, which was disappointing. But in the second half we were really pressing a top four side and making them look a bit silly in certain areas at times, so that’s a positive.
“First half we need to have a conversation around defence, but second half we were happy.
“Yet it is about doing that and playing with that attitude and commitment for a full 80 minutes, that’s what we have to work on as a team.”
Dave Broughton, Callum Morgan and Tom Rayner scored OPMs’ tries, with Matt Smale kicking two conversions.
Second-placed Devonport Services II were struggling for numbers to travel to leaders Torquay Athletic, who only needed a point to secure the title.
Services did travel, with Torquay expecting a large crowd to celebrate their promotion, but the visitors agreed before the game to give Torquay the win and make it ‘friendly’ so they could play colt Harri Hayman, whose clearance to ‘play up’ had not come through in time.
In the end the match was abandoned in the second half after Services players Hayden Thomas and Elliott Lupson suffered a serious clash of heads.
“We were missing 20 starting ones and twos players this weekend,” said Services head coach Ben Russell.
Russell added that they had completed the process to play Hayman at the start of the week, but due to a technical error there was a delay. They were told initially they could play him as everything had been finalised, but were then told no as ‘it wasn’t all signed off’ fully for a league game.
Had Services not made it a ‘friendly’ they would have had to leave Hayman out and start with 14 players.
Torquay, who were holding their ladies’ day, were 58-0 up when they game was stopped due to the nasty clash of heads.
George Helmore, Andy Gormley, Morgan Alcock, Matt Allanson, Lewis Crocker and Ben Sharples were among Torquay’s scorers.
In Counties Two Cornwall, already-crowned champions Saltash were handed a walkover by third-placed Newquay Hornets, who opted to not even make it a friendly and travel to Moorlands Lane, when the Ashes were expecting a big crowd.
COUNTIES THREE
OLD TECHS moved level on points with Ivybridge II at the top of Devon South & West after a convincing 86-5 victory over bottom side Kingsbridge II at Weston Mill on Saturday.
Kingsbridge II were struggling for a side but did turn up with 11 players and the sides agreed to play a 60-minute contest.
“Fair play to them, they came down,” said Techs chairman David Evans.
However, it was a one-sided contest, although Kingsbridge II did score with the last play of the game.
Kieran Hurrell and Ollie Davey both scored hat-tricks for Techs, who also had Billy Evans and debutant Kieran Baldry bagging two tries apiece. Brett Tunnicliffe, Dale Thompson, Will Booth and Dale Partington also crossed the whitewash for the home side. Sam Matts kicked most of the remaining points, although Partington did converted his own try with a drop-kick.
Although he did not get on the scoresheet, lock Lee Puleston had a good game for Techs.
Techs have played a game more now than Ivybridge II and third-placed Brixham II, but they do play Ivybridge II in their next and final league match.
Plympton Victoria could only manage a Sid Bear try in their 46-5 home defeat to sixth-placed Torquay Athletic II.
“The second half was better than the first for us, but our first-up tackling was just not up to the task,” admitted Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt.
“A couple of their tries were just because we couldn’t get our defensive line up in time.
“Our scrummage was quite strong and we did sort ourselves out a bit in the second half, but it was a rear-guard action by that point.”
Plymstock Oaks II stay second bottom of the league after they were beaten 69-10 away at Totnes. It was Totnes’ biggest win in years.
In Counties Three Cornwall, Saltash II shocked already-promoted Launceston II 41-14 at Polson Bridge on Saturday.
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