DEVONPORT Services will be returning to regional rugby after they were relegated from National Two West on Saturday following a 41-34 home defeat to in-form Hornets.
For the second game running, Services did pick up two points for scoring more than four tries and finishing within a score of their opponents, but it was not enough for them.
They do have two more games to complete – away at Camborne and at home to Bournville, who are now only three points ahead of them.
Once those matches are out of the way, Services will surely look back at how many near misses they did have this season and think about what they might have been able to do had they not had so many injuries.
According to head coach Ben Russell, Saturday’s game was another that fell into the ‘we could have won it’ category.
“It was another one of those games,” said Russell afterwards.
“We were probably a bit soft at times, but we did play some lovely rugby and probably deserved to win it at the end.
“We scored six tries, including a few nice ones.
“We were losing 24-10 at half-time, so we came back well in the second half.
“But it’s just little things, like losing the ball too easily, some decisions and just being a bit soft defensively.”
He added: “There have been too many near misses really. We obviously haven’t learnt enough at this level as we are not winning games that we should be winning.
“We knew it was going to be hard at the start of the year. Maybe if we’d had all our players available, we might have done it, but the boys have battled really hard.
“I think it has shown that we haven’t quite got that strength in depth that we needed to have at level four. For us to kick on and compete at that level, we really need to get the twos promoted so the margin between the two sides isn’t as big.”
Services did take the lead on Saturday with a try in the 12th minute from prop Oli Symons, but Hornets, who arrived in Devon on the back of five wins in their last six games, hit back with two quick tries courtesy of Josh Sheppard and Owen Griffith.
Dan Lilley pulled it back to 12-10 with a try on his Devonport debut, but Hornets took a 24-10 lead into the break with further touch-downs from Corey Baker and Kieran Ward.
The visitors extended their lead early in the second period with a score by Charlie Carter, but then Services came to life.
Andy Pond came on and scored with his first touch before Shaun Crawford crossed the whitewash just minutes later.
Hornets did stem Services’ comeback slightly with a second try by Sheppard, but Richard West, who was struggling a bit with his hamstring, crossed the line with nine minutes to go and Billy Orchard converted.
Corey Baker did pull Hornets away again with a try, but Kyle Felton gave Devonport hope of snatching the win late on with a converted score, but the home team could not find a late winner.
REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST
IVYBRIDGE said goodbye to level five rugby with a 43-14 home defeat to Matson, who ended up finishing seventh in the division.
The already-relegated Bridgers did make a good start to the game and were 14-5 up after 30 minutes, but in the middle of the match Matson just starved them of ball and, led by former Plymouth Albion prop George Porter, they used their strong forwards well to create gaps and score tries.
“It was a bit of a strange one to end,” said Ivybridge skills coach Steve Atkinson.
“We got off to a really good start and managed to get a couple of tries. But then we had 25-30 minutes without the ball. We just defended and defended.
“Fair play to Matson, they have some big old boys, and they just ran it down our throats.
“It was close at half-time, but we came out for the second half and we just didn’t have the ball for another 20 minutes. I think they scored four quick tries.
“They are a good side. It was a really good arm-wrestle but we just didn’t have enough ball.”
The referee actually ended the match early after she sent off a player from both sides.
Henry Trudgill and Adam Lilley scored Ivybridge’s tries early in the game, which were both converted by Matt Grieveson.
Devon under-20 player Dan Gloyns was red carded late on after the referee had also shown a red to a Matson player.
The match did see Adam Northcott play his final game for Ivybridge before heading to New Zealand.
COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST
FOURTH-placed Plymstock Oaks ended their league season with a comfortable 66-14 victory over struggling Tavistock at a windy Horsham Fields on Saturday.
Oaks had gone 33-0 up at the break thanks to tries by Corey Jamieson, Archie Gray, Duncan Bibby, Matt Jackson and Ben Kerswell.
They then went 54-0 ahead with two touch-downs from player-coach Lewis Paterson and one from replacement Freddie Williams.
But Tavistock kept going and pulled one back from Hammy Kerswill, who scored from a quick tap penalty.
James Ferriman and Rob Hall added further tries for Oaks, before Ethan Lamerton beat a couple of defenders to bag a consolation effort for Tavistock.
Oaks coach Lewis Paterson said: “It was good to finish with a win after two really tight losses against two good teams (Paignton and Torquay).
“I think we needed a win as the boys worked really hard in those two games. But fair play to Tavistock for fielding a team and giving us a good game.”
Oaks have finished in the top four for the past two seasons.
“It is really good considering when I came in Oaks were around the relegation zone,” said Paterson, who has confirmed he is staying at the club.
“We also got to the Devon Intermediate Cup final and so we’ve had some good success.
“We’ve also had boys go on and play for Devon. I think Harvey (Courtis) is signing for Albion for next season and last year Al Thomas went to Devonport, so we’ve not just managed to get the team having a bit of success, but boys have progressed as well.
“We have to be proud that boys have got noticed and gone on to higher things.
“We have a really good platform now and hopefully the colts can see that and we can get more youngsters in and go from there.”
Tavistock player-coach Kerswill was happy with the performance, despite the result.
“We have gone away and played teams that are nowhere near Oaks’ standard and have been hammered by more with probably a better team out ourselves,” said Kerswill.
“So, all considering, the players that travelled did themselves proud and did a job for the club and stopped us getting minus five points.”
He added: “I was relatively happy, especially considering where we were in the middle of the week when we only had 11 or 12 players but in the end we got 16 out.
“Oaks play exciting rugby – they chuck the ball around and move it from side to side, do a lot of tap-and-goes to keep the ball live and a lot of off-loading – and they did that really well.
“They scored two tries in the first two minutes but then we had a period of calm before they scored another two before half-time.
“We were blowing as we had a few boys out there who have not played for a little, but we did look okay with ball in hand.
“People were all over the place and out of position, but it was just a case of doing what we could.
“Calum Baker and Tylo Coupland carried really well and broke a lot of tackles when we had ball in hand.
“And I think we did expose Oaks a little bit in the middle of the park. We couldn’t get over the whitewash in the first half, but we did in the second. We also looked like we were going to get a third, but time just ran out. We did play the full 80.”
Tavistock have to wait now to see if they will be relegated to Counties Two Devon, which does look likely but will not be confirmed until all the National Leagues have finished.
“If we had everyone available week-in, week-out, we would be competitive in this league,” said Kerswill. “But we just haven’t had them available every week.”
COUNTIES TWO DEVON
TAMAR Saracens are also waiting to find out if they will be relegated or not after they finished third from bottom in Counties Two Devon after losing 60-12 away at fourth-placed Exeter Saracens.
Last season only two teams went down from the league, but due to the knock-on effect from leagues above, it maybe three this year.
Sarries battled hard at their Exeter namesakes, but just ran out of steam late on after suffering a number of injuries on a hot afternoon.
“It was a tough day,” said Tamar Saracens’ retiring director of rugby Pete Lethbridge. “But I can’t fault the boys as they worked really hard and put all the effort in.
“We lost a few key players early on with injury, but we worked hard for the full 80 minutes.
“I think it was 22-7 at half-time, with Reiss Boon scoring a really good try, which Lew Swatton converted.
“Second half started off okay and we scored a try on the wing through Tommy Windeatt to make it 27-12.
“We kept it tight and did quite well, but picked up a few more injuries and just ran out of legs. We did keep trying to the end, but it was a hot day up there.”
He added: “The boys did well and played with smiles on their faces.
“It was an emotional day for me. I did have a few tears in my eyes.
“But I can’t fault the boys. Scrummaging went well, line-outs went well, we just ran out of steam in the last 20 minutes.
“We fulfilled all our games in the league, unlike some other teams, but now we just have to see what happens.”
Bottom side Plymouth Argaum know they are relegated, but they did push OPMs hard at a very windy King George V Playing Field in a 24-15 defeat on Saturday.
The derby match was spoilt by the wind that was coming straight down the pitch.
It made it almost impossible for the side playing into the wind to kick, while the team playing with the wind kept finding their kicks were going dead.
The conditions also made handling and line-outs hard and the game ended up very stop-start, not only because of the wind, but because of the number of penalties given.
It was a match that could have gone either way, but OPMs scored a crucial charge down try at the start of the second half when playing into the wind and Argaum had one disallowed late on.
OPMs head coach Andy Williams was just happy for his team to win and end his spell in charge at King George V Playing Fields on a high note as the Old Boys bagged seventh in the table, which was one place better than last season.
“There was a gale force wind blowing down the field and we lost the toss and they decided to make us play with the wind first half hoping that they might be able to counter that when we got a bit tired, but we stuck at it,” said Williams.
“But the turning point was us scoring right at the start of the second half to take us that little bit further ahead.
“We are very lucky that we have a couple of really talented rugby players and we have lent on them this year, particularly Matthew Smale and he was superb again. He is such a young lad with so much potential.
“Collectively we knew what was coming, but we have done well and we came away with the win to finish on the same points as last year and consolidate our position in the league.
“We also came away with the Devon bowl last week so I’m very happy with the season and the three years I’ve been here.
“We’ve had two cup finals, a promotion and consolidated.”
He added: “This was my last game as head coach. I have no plans to do anything coaching wise next year due to work and with my family growing up. My sons are quite sporty and so are away with their sport a lot.
“I’ll take the year out and see what happens.
“But the boys here have been great. They’ve all got jobs and family commitments, but we have always put a side out every week.
“I am really grateful to the club. It is a great club to be involved in and I have very much enjoyed it.”
Argaum head coach Dean Avery, who has confirmed he is staying at Bickleigh Down for another season, was frustrated with the result on Saturday.
“The conditions didn’t help,” he said.
“It was a bit frustrating first half as we couldn’t string any phases together and gave them some easy tries.
“It was good to get a try in the first half with the wind like it was, but straight from kick-off we have gifted them a try and then there was a lot to do.
“We did score with 10 or 15 minutes to go but the referee was on the other side and didn’t give it, which was a bit frustrating.
“We didn’t capitalise with the wind like we wanted to and like they did.”
OPMs took the lead after just 70 seconds when Devon under-20 player Matt Smale took a quick tap penalty and ran 40 metres to score in the right corner.
However, his brother Fred, did get injured in the opening play and had to go off.
Matt Smale did kick a penalty on 12 minutes to increase the home side’s lead to 8-0.
Argaum were then shown two quick yellow cards and OPMs took advantage with veteran Keith Pascoe scoring on the right to make it 13-0.
However, just before the break, Argaum reduced the gap with Dan Smith scoring from close range.
But in first half injury-time, the visitors gave away another penalty and Smale added the three points to give his side a 16-5 lead at the break.
Given the strength of the wind, Argaum might have been quite happy with that, but straight at the start of the second half they gifted OPMs a try when they had a kick charged down in their 22 and Callum Morgan scored.
However, after that most of the rest of the game was played in OPMs’ half as Argaum pressed.
Tom Worboys reduced the gap with a try in the right corner after Tom Mann and JJ vom Hagen had done well with a clever short line-out.
They then added a third try five minutes later when Smith managed to force his way over from close range with the help of Mann and Adam McCrohan. That made it 21-15 with 15 minutes to go.
But OPMs gave themselves some breathing space when they charged down another Argaum kick and got a penalty in front of the posts, which Smale kicked to edge them two scores in front.
Argaum thought they had scored a fourth try five minutes from time from a good catch-and-drive move, but it was not given. The referee, though, did give them a penalty and they went for another line-out, but they were then penalised as they drove, and they could not get another score in the remaining minutes.
Devonport Services II had to settle for third place after losing 26-17 away at Honiton, who did claim the runners-up spot.
The first half was low scoring, with Ben Kidson scoring a converted try for Honiton and Leighton Stark kicking a penalty for Services II.
Honiton took charge of the game in the opening period after half-time with James Coutts-Tucker scoring two tries to put them 19-3 up.
Devonport reduced the deficit with a touch-down from Kaff Simakoloyi, which Stark converted, but Coutts-Tucker claimed his hat-trick to put Honiton 26-10 in front.
Services II did come back and Toby Moss scored a converted try, but Honiton held out to secure second place.
COUNTIES TWO CORNWALL
WINGER Will Morton marked his 300th appearance for Saltash with a hat-trick of tries as they beat St Just 138-0 at Moorlands Lane on Saturday to finish with a 100 per cent record in Counties Two Cornwall.
Morton has actually scored more tries for Saltash than appearances and he and fellow experienced winger James Moriarty were both thorns in St Just’s side on Saturday.
Moriarty bagged four, while there was also a hat-trick for experienced lock Tom Rixson.
Saltash ended up scoring 21 tries against St Just. Ryan Cruickshanks, Lewis Woolaway and Danny Snook both bagged two, while Greg Eatwell, Liall Honey, who was making his 100th appearance, Scott Williams, Rob Walsh and Devon Bennett-Murray also touched down.
St Just did concede the game beforehand as they did not have a full front-row, but they did make the long trip to fulfil the fixture, much to the delight of Saltash.
The Ashes had set themselves a target of going through the season unbeaten after losing just three games in their previous two seasons when they narrowly missed out on promotion.
The unbeaten Ashes will now turn their attentions to the cups. They have entered the Papa Johns Cup and have reached the finals of both the Cornwall Clubs’ Cup and Lockie Cup.
COUNTIES THREE AND ROUND-UP
IVYBRIDGE II wrapped up the Counties Three Devon South & West title after overcoming neighbours Plympton Victoria 48-0 away.
The Bridgers’ second string knew they just had to win at St Mary’s to secure top spot ahead of Brixham II, who did all they could by beating Paignton II 81-10 away.
In the end just one point separated the top two teams, with Old Techs finishing in third.
Ivybridge skills coach Steve Atkinson admitted it was great for the second team to win the title and that it had been a good battle all season with Brixham II and Old Techs.
“You want to see a battle at the top,” he said. “You don’t want to see one team just running away with it. It was good having three teams battling for it.”
Saturday’s match at St Mary’s did end a bit early after Plym Vic picked up a number of injuries, but they were quite happy with their performance against a side that have been running in cricket scores against teams.
“They have rightly won promotion and finished top of the league, so they have done exceptionally well to where they were last season,” said Plym Vic chairman Chris Hunt.
“But it has proved how far we have come. We certainly weren’t out-classed or out-matched, but we just didn’t have the fire-power in the right places to breach the top of the league’s defence.
“We just couldn’t quite get over the whitewash, but we were happy with the performance, considering we had people out of position.”
Saltash II had finished their league season last weekend, but they played a joint OPMs and Plymouth Argaum second team on Saturday at King George V Playing Fields, which they won 39-14.
The strong wind made good rugby difficult, but Saltash II did pull away late on when they were playing with the wind.
Youngster Max Jones bagged a hat-trick of tries for the Ashes second string, while there were also touch-downs for the experienced Lewis Stuart, Sam Snell and Steve Hillman and prop Josh Firman.
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