DEVONPORT Services head coach Ben Russell felt there were plenty of positives, despite his side suffering a heavy 53-17 defeat away at much-fancied Taunton Titans on Friday night on their return to National Two West.

Services were leading for 33 minutes and were only 17-12 down at the break at Hyde Lane, but Taunton totally pulled away in the second half to claim a comfortable five home points.

Russell was particularly frustrated his side did not at least return from Somerset with a try-scoring bonus point.

They did cross the whitewash three times courtesy of a stunning effort from Harrison Coonick and further scores from James McFarlane and Mike Rickard, but they wasted a number of other good opportunities, including dropping the ball on the line.

“There were so many positives to take out of it,” insisted Russell.

“The only real negative was that we didn’t come away with a bonus point.”

He added: “The first 30 minutes we played really well. We were moving the ball well and we were 12-3 up.

“But 10 minutes before half-time we’ve given them the ball too much and given away a couple of penalties so they could get into our half.

“It was really the last 10 minutes of the first half and first 10 of the second half that killed us.

“But our line-out was brilliant and we stuck at it in the scrums.

“As I said, there were a lot of positives and we just have to believe as a team that we are good enough for this level.

In that first 30 minutes we had them in a lot of pain, but we should have really been four scores up, we just didn’t take all our opportunities.

“We had the crowd silenced as we were playing really well, but then error was just compounded by error and we then conceded tries.

“It was just a bit of a kick in the teeth that we didn’t come away with anything. We should have secured a bonus point.

“We were chasing the game and after conceding an early try in the second half, heads did drop a little bit.

“But I told the boys after the game that there were so many positives out there. We said we would go through the video and watch the good stuff and see where we can improve. We just have to move on.”

Coonick had given Services the lead with a stunning try in the corner from 40-metres out.

Former Plymouth Albion fly-half Tom Putt kicked a penalty for Taunton to close the gap to 7-3.

However, Devonport increased their lead to 12-3 on 25 minutes when prop McFarlane scored from a catch-and-drive move.

But their hopes of going in at half-time in front, disappeared when Taunton scored two quick-fire tries in the final seven minutes of the half.

First, former Devonport junior Israel Akinrowo scored, before former Albion hooker Gabriel Mead touched down to give Taunton a 17-12 advantage at the break.

And in the opening 10 minutes of the second period, Taunton scored two more quick tries courtesy of Freddy Elliott and Ben Parsons.

Lock Rickard, who had missed the whole of Services last season at National League level due to injury, did pull Devonport back into it with a try down the blindside.

But as the visitors chased the game looking for at least a bonus point, Taunton picked them off and scored further tries courtesy of Matt Whitlock, Will Holmes and Henry Batty. Services were not helped by picking up a yellow card 11 minutes from time.