DEVONPORT Services were unable to shock high-flying Taunton Titans at the Rectory on Saturday, but they did at least pick up a try-scoring bonus point for their efforts in a 43-24 defeat.
However, with third-from-bottom Macclesfield surprisingly beating Redruth 31-14, their hopes of staying in National Two West are now extremely slim.
They are 15 points off safety with just 20 points left to play for.
Injury-hit Services have always known it would be a tough ask to stay up, but they have been making a good fight of it in recent months and, once again on Saturday, they were competitive against a team that were playing in National One the season before.
“Hats off to the lads,” said Services head coach Ben Russell. “We are battling, and we are showing we are competitive, it is just sometimes we are not getting over the finish line, but I can’t fault the players.
“We got a bonus point, and I think we deserved that for how we played and how we took it to them.”
He added: “When we played rugby and took it to them, we were really good, but there were a few soft tackles through the middle at times.
“We had three penalties in the first half where we missed touch and two in the second. We also kicked two balls dead in the first half and from those mistakes they scored points.
“But our boys have been fantastic. They were playing against a team that were in National One last year, who have big players who have been playing for years and years at this level – they are massive as a team – and we have taken them to 43-24 and it could have been closer.
“It is a tough ask (to stay up now), but we have said that if we are going to go down, let’s go down in a blaze of glory.”
Services were without a host of players on Saturday, including Richard West, Charlie Groves, George Pooley, Henry Gliddon, Jack Ryder, James Hocking and Joe Stansfield, as well as long-term injury victims Harrison Coonick, Mike Rickard, Kieran Down and Toby Knowles.
Colt Harri Hayman and Dylan Harbour were handed their first National League starts and both impressed Russell with their performances.
“They both did really, really well,” said Russell. “Their chance might have come around due to injuries, but they thoroughly deserved it and they held their own.”
Services’ bad luck with injuries struck again on Saturday as full-back Billy Orchard had to go off in the 13th minute with a knee problem.
The home side were 7-0 down at that point with Oli Massey-Birch touching down on the left after Taunton attacked well from a scrum and Louie Sinclair added the conversion.
Services did have some early possession but twice missed touch in the opening few minutes from penalties and just could not quite get into their flow with so many backline changes.
Taunton increased their lead to 17-0 with a Sinclair penalty and then a try by prop Ollie Schuter-Wood after they stole a Services’ line-out on halfway and attack strongly.
But Devonport got back into the game in the 29th minute when Liam Jarvis scored a try after a great run by winger Harbour. He picked up a poor pass and jinxed his way through a number of tackles before off-loading to Bertie Fordham, who in turn, fed Jarvis. Fit-again Matt Neyle, who took on the kicking duties in the absence of West, added the conversion.
However, just before the stroke of half-time, Taunton added a third converted try when the impressive Charlie Wright broke through a tackle to score after the visitors had taken a quick tap penalty. That made it 24-7 at the break.
Services did start the second half well and they closed the gap to 24-12 when Dan Goldstone scored in the left corner.
Taunton then showed their forward strength and went 36-12 ahead with a pick-and-go try from prop Schuter-Wood and a catch-and-drive touch-down from Wright.
Devonport did brilliantly to win the re-start from Wright’s try and they attacked really well. Eventually after some intense pressure, Goldstone found a gap to score on the right.
But just when Services were getting into their game, they had Tom Richards yellow carded and centre Nicolas Mason scored a sixth try for Taunton, which Sinclair converted.
The home side, though, did keep going and they did finally get a fourth try – and a bonus point – when prop Oli Symons forced his way over the line near the posts.
The bonus point has seen Services close the gap on second-from-bottom Bournville to six points, while Taunton have moved up to third with the win.
Saltash II could not quite make it a hat-trick of impressive wins within the space of seven days as they were narrowly beaten by Counties Three Cornwall champions Camborne II 21-10 at Moorlands Lane on Saturday in the Duchy Cup.
The Ashes’ second string had beaten Launceston II 41-14 the previous Saturday and Old Techs 27-26 on Wednesday evening in the Ellis Trophy, but a strong Camborne second team, featuring Cornwall players Damien Cook, Andrius Zacharovas and Lewis Vinnicombe, just edged them out.
Saltash did take the lead when Axel Nicks scored in the corner on 16 minutes after some good handling and movement from the home side.
The visiting heavier pack were well held by the mobile Ashes forwards, but eventually Camborne scored a converted try by Cook after 26 minutes.
Good Saltash covering could not prevent a second Camborne try 10 minutes later through Harry Clemo, which was again converted to give them a 14-5 lead at the break.
The second half opened with more sustained Ashes pressure in the Camborne 22 which gave Devan Marshall the opportunity to cross on the right wing after 55 minutes.
Three minutes later, the big Camborne forwards drove over the Saltash line to touch down following a line-out to extend their advantage to 21-10.
Although the visiting backs threatened on occasions, Camborne were often stretched in defence resulting in them picking up several yellow cards through their indiscipline.
The Ashes continued to cause problems for Camborne and almost scored again towards the end, but the visitors managed to hold on to gain a tight victory.
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