IVYBRIDGE will be looking for their first away win of the season on Saturday when they make the tricky trip to Crediton.

The Bridgers have won three of their opening four games, but they have all come at Cross-in-Hand.

Their only away trip so far was to Wadebridge, where they lost 41-25.

Fourth-placed Ivybridge know from previous experience that it is not easy to win at Crediton.

Last season the Bridgers were beaten 33-17 at Blagdon.

“Crediton away is always tough,” said Ivybridge head coach Steve Atkinson.

“Last year, it was a bit of a weird game up there. We just got on the wrong side of the referee a bit.

“But the boys are buzzing for this week.”

Ivybridge have got some players missing, particularly in the backs.

With their usual wingers missing, the Bridgers are set to have to switch around their backline.

Matt Grieveson is likely to start at fly-half, with Harry Newman-Wild moving to full-back and Charlie Teague switching to the wing.

The experienced Tom Scoles, who is back training with the club, is likely to start on the other wing.

“We have had to switch it around a bit, particularly in the backs, as we have a number of lads away,” said Atkinson. “We are quite a few wingers down.”

In the forwards, Alex Garner is set to return to the first team squad after impressing for the second team last weekend.

Ivybridge have re-signed forward Scott Puleston this week from Brixham.

The Devon player started his career at Cross-in-Hand before moving to the Fishermen, where he enjoyed 13 seasons.

However, Puleston will have to wait for his first team chance. He is set to start at six for the second team against Plymstock Oaks II on Saturday.

“He wants to play ones and he’s still got ambitions,” said Atkinson. “I think he’s only 24 caps away from one hundred appearances for the club, but he’s just happy to play.”

Atkinson thinks his experience will help the young Ivybridge squad.

“He did 13 years at Brixham and became a club legend there,” said the Bridgers’ coach.

“He will be brilliant and people wanted him back. He did really well when he was here and he has played over 200-odd games for Brixham. He is a good player.”

COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST

DEVONPORT Services II will be hoping they can finally get their first Western West victory when they travel to Newton Abbot on Saturday.

Services II have so far had to make do with only a bonus-point draw away at Redruth on the opening day of the season.

In the opening month of the campaign, they have been badly hit by injuries and unavailabilities in the first team, meaning they have not been able to field a consistent side.

However, with their first team not in action this weekend, Services II are able to field a more familiar looking line-up.

“A few guys have come back down from the ones so we are looking pretty strong,” said coach Matt Gregory. “It will be close to the team that we took down to Redruth at the start of the season.

“The lads trained well on Thursday and it’s good to get the group back together as we expected it at the start of the season.

“It has been a bit disjointed with the first few games being moved and by that time we’d had quite a few injuries in the first team, so lads got called up to the ones.

“It’s nice to get lads who trained together all pre-season out on the pitch together at the same time.

“There should be a good crowd there on Saturday as I think it is their sponsors’ day. Our ladies’ team are playing before us, which will be good.

“I don’t think the weather is looking too great, but hopefully there will be a good crowd.”

Services II may be bottom of the table after four games, but no-one at the club is too concerned.

They are only two wins off the top five and Saltash proved last season that you can recover from a slow start.

“It is a tough league where everyone can beat everyone,” said Gregory.

“You just have to be good on the day to get that win.

“We are feeling really positive about this weekend. We just have to try and put a performance together and try and get that win.

“We’ve had an extraordinary amount of injuries at the club. I think we were up at 27 last week, but the fact that we are still getting three teams out every week, is a bit of a marvel.

“We’ve played some good teams so far, but hopefully we can pick up a win and that will kick us into gear.”

Saltash got their first win of the season last weekend when they beat Torquay Athletic away after one-score defeats to Paignton and St Ives.

That win moved them up to eighth in the standings and they will be keen to build on it when they host ninth-placed Truro at Moorlands Lane on Saturday (3pm).

After last week’s victory, the Ashes make just one change to their starting line-up with Danny Snook swapping places with Andrew Walsh in the centre.

It will be Snook’s first league start since the club’s promotion-winning campaign in 2024-25.

The talented back missed the whole of last season due to serious illness, but his return has been a big boost for the club.

Number eight Steve Hillman is available again after missing last week’s match at Torquay, but he has to make do with just a place on the bench, with Charlie Knight, Laurie Thomson and Phil Eatwell starting in the back-row again and Billy Garratt keeping his spot in the second-row.

Last season both games Saltash had with Truro were decided by one score, with the Moorlands Lane club coming out on the wrong side of both.

Truro won 35-29 at Saltash in December and then triumphed 40-34 on their own patch in April.

Truro, like Saltash, only have one win to their name this season. That came at home to Devonport Services II a fortnight ago. Last week, they lost 74-19 at home to Paignton.

COUNTIES TWO DEVON

TAVISTOCK will be aiming to cause a major shock and upset Plymouth Combination rivals Plymstock Oaks on Saturday at Horsham Fields (2.30pm).

Oaks have won four out of four since they came down from Western West and are averaging 50 points a game. They are the title favourites after boosting their squad significantly over the summer.

Tavistock came down from Western West the season before, but they have found it hard to find their momentum at level eight.

But they feel they are finding a bit of form after a home win over Exeter Saracens and a good performance against Brixham II last weekend in a narrow 34-27 defeat.

However, they know it will be tough at Horsham Fields. On their last two trips there they have been beaten 66-14 and 57-19.

“After last week’s close-run game against Brixham II, the mood in the camp is really positive,” said Tavistock head coach Leigh Puttock. “We know what we have in us and, on our best days, we believe we can compete with anyone in this league.

“Oaks are clear league favourites. They have recruited heavily and have a squad they are rightly confident in, so we know the challenge ahead.

“What I don’t want is for this fixture to knock our confidence if things don’t go our way. We have to recognise the progress we are making and keep building.

“Our challenge is to squeeze every point out of every game. That means staying positive, never letting our heads drop and working for each other for the full 80 minutes.

“If we finish with the same energy, belief and team spirit that we start with, we give ourselves every chance of producing something we can be proud of.

“For me, our performances over the past few weeks haven’t been fully reflected in the scorelines. I keep looking at how far we have come.

“Last season, we struggled to put a side together for away games, even those in Plymouth, and were often making do with whoever was available.

“This year, I’m spending a good part of my week phoning players who are genuinely competing for first-team places, explaining why they haven’t made the squad and talking through their development opportunities. They are difficult conversations, but it’s the sort of challenge we want at our friendly community club. It shows that we are moving forward.”

He added: “We know Oaks will be a big test, but we have plenty to bring to this game. The wind and rain will make conditions tough for both sides and could be a real leveller.

“We’ll need to adapt, make good decisions and work hard for each other.

“The pressure is on them. For us, it’s about trusting our preparation, playing together and making them work for everything, right up to the final whistle.”

Oaks coach Mike Lewis, who previously enjoyed a successful spell at Tavistock along with Richard West, is looking forward to Saturday’s contest.

“They are a really good club and I enjoyed every minute I was up there,” he said.

“A few people have messaged me to say they are coming down to the game.

“They have obviously changed a few faces since I was there, but there’s still a couple of players playing. I saw Andrew Schuttkacker was playing last week and he must be working towards 300 caps for the club.”

Lewis and the Oaks coaching staff know they will be expected to continue their unbeaten start this weekend at home against a team sitting ninth in the standings without an away win to their name yet.

“Expectations and reality are two different things,” said Lewis. “If people expect, then it puts a bit of extra pressure on.

“We just have to make sure we are doing the right things at the right time on Saturday.

“Looking at the weather, it could be wet and blustery and that could be a bit of a leveller, especially if you are trying to throw the ball around.”

He added: “We know they are going to be pretty decent up front, however, we just have to try and keep the ball away from those sort of players.

“We have to match them in that area, but we have got a good quality pack with a line-out and maul and hopefully we can match them and maybe have a bit more than them.”

Oaks have a load of players back that missed last week’s trip to Exmouth, including Richard West, Tyler Busfield, Aiden Taylor and Tom Richards, although they are still without Toby Moss.

“We have to figure out what to do,” admitted Lewis. “The lads that went up to Exmouth last week did very well and they worked very hard, so it’s a bit of a selection dilemma.

“We have been thinking about it loads. We have to make both our teams as strong as possible.

“We are likely going to upset a few players this week.”

Tavistock are missing Rob Pratt, who picked up a slight injury last weekend, and James Lambe, but they are able to welcome back Glen Fuller, Oliver James and Jim Wellard.

Youngster Billy Sherman is rewarded for his performance last week by keeping his starting spot at prop, while the experienced Schuttkacker continues at number eight.

Puttock admits there has been some difficult decisions.

“The lads all know they are only borrowing the shirt,” he said. “There’s competition in every position, and whether you’re starting or coming on as an impact player, you have to keep earning it.

“If the performance isn’t there, we have players ready to step in and stake their claim. It keeps standards high and everyone pushing each other forward. That’s a great position for our small, humble and friendly club to be in.”

In the same division, OPMs will be hoping to get their third win of the season when they entertain winless Crediton II at King George V Playing Fields on Saturday (3pm).

It will only be the Old Boys’ second home game in five fixtures.

So far, their only taste of home comforts came with a 37-19 victory over Tavistock in the second match of the season.

OPMs and Crediton II have met a number of times in recent years, with both clubs winning an equal share of the contests.

Last season OPMs lost 26-7 away to them on the final day of the season, but beat them 32-28 on the opening day of the campaign.

“Having played them multiple times both in Devon Three and now in Devon Two, we know they are a hard physical team so we’ll need to be ready for battle,” said a club spokesperson.

OPMs are hosting a double-header at King George V Playing Fields on Saturday, with their Jesters’ side playing Devonport Services III at 1pm.

COUNTIES THREE

OLD Techs and Ivybridge II will be bidding to keep their 100 per cent records going in Counties Three Devon South & West this weekend before they meet next Saturday.

Both have tricky fixtures before that clash at Weston Mill.

Old Techs have to visit fifth-placed Torquay Athletic II on Saturday and Ivybridge II host Plymstock Oaks II, who have won their last two fixtures.

Old Techs have found Torquay II tricky opponents over the last couple of seasons.

Last year they lost 27-25 away at the Tics’ second string but won 24-10 at home. However, they did win at the Recreation Ground the season before when they triumphed 47-36.

“It has been a pleasing start to the season and obviously, confidence is going to be high,” said Techs’ Shaun Bedford-Smith. “But there is being confident going into game and not just turning up thinking you are going to win.

“We are doing well, but the reason we are doing well is because we are working hard at training and on the pitch as a team. You can’t take your foot of the gas.

“I think last year we lost by a couple of points up there. We were winning until the last three or four minutes and they got a break and scored to win the game.

“I don’t think there has ever been that much between us in any of the games.

“We know what to expect when we go away to the likes of Torquay, Paignton and Salcombe. It never really changes. You know it is going to be tight and tough.

“I think in previous seasons availability has let us down and we have gone up there a bit light, but we seem to have sorted that a bit. At the moment people want to be available and play.”

Techs are likely to be missing 17-year-old winger Bailey Fisher and experienced centre Reece Boase, who both started last week, but they should have Ryan Smith back available.

Ivybridge II have been running up cricket scores in their opening four matches.

They have already scored 333 points and only conceded 31.

But they know fixtures are going to start getting harder in the coming weeks, starting with Oaks II on Saturday.

“We have got four or five tough games now,” said Ivybridge head coach Steve Atkinson. “Although that’s not to say the previous ones weren’t.

“The lads have stayed fairly grounded. This will probably be our biggest test so far, but we’ll see how we get on.”

Ivybridge are set to name a strong second side this week which will include new signing Scott Puleston, along with Marcus Prout, Giles Clarke, Ben Winters, Cam Wallace, Luke Martell and Owen Alps.

“We have got a fairly good side out and hopefully, we can carry our form on,” added Atkinson.

After losing their opening two games, Oaks II have beaten Totnes and Torquay II in their last two weeks.

“We are just trying to get a bit of consistency with the second team so that they are not chopping and changing every week,” said Oaks coach Mike Lewis.

“This weekend will be tough as we know Ivybridge’s second team is going really well.”

Tamar Saracens are at home again on Saturday when they entertain Paignton II at the Parkway.

Sarries enjoyed their home comforts last weekend as they beat Plymouth Argaum 30-0.

They are hoping to build on that result against the team that finished second last year.

“Paignton will be a strong side,” said Tamar Saracens’ Pete Lethbridge.

“We don’t know what they are going to bring down, but we need to be on the ball.

“The boys are getting a bit of confidence. Training is going really well, which is good.

“But we do have a few hard games coming up now.”

Plymouth Argaum will be expected to get back to winning ways when they host struggling Kingsbridge II at Bickleigh Down.

Argaum won their opening two matches against Salcombe and Paignton II at home, but they came unstuck with makeshift teams against Ivybridge II and Tamar Saracens.

“We just have to rebuild,” said coach Martyn Hendy. “We have got a lot of guys hopefully coming back.

“There is two halves to this league and we’ve had four hard games on the bounce.

“There isn’t a such thing as an easier game, but hopefully we can get back to scoring some tries and getting back into winning ways.”

Plympton Victoria will be hoping that this might be the week that they finally get their first victory as they host fellow winless side Dartmouth at St Mary’s Playing Fields.

Plym Vic are able to welcome back Jack Higgleton, who missed last week’s trip to Totnes.

The two clubs have not met since January 2024 with Dartmouth having been in the higher division for the past two seasons.

The last meeting at St Mary’s Field came in September 2023, with Dartmouth winning 26-0 on their way to becoming champions.

In Counties Three Cornwall, Saltash visit third-placed Hayle.

Saltash II have won two of their four games so far, with Hayle picking up two victories and a draw in the same amount of matches.