Crediton v Withycombe (Apr 2012)

Crediton 46

Withycombe 34

Withycombe's yo-yo season came to an end at Crediton with a bonus point loss in a game both teams will be hoping provides a sneak peek of next season.

Crediton struck first with a breakaway try after Withycombe had missed an early opportunity at a penalty. Withycombe struck back minutes later as Mike Richards' deft footwork undid the set Creddy defence to dot the ball under the posts from 20 metres out. A Jack Pugsley conversion put Withy in front before Crediton struck back through No. 8 Mark Nott. The sides traded penalties before Crediton's impressive backs outwitted the Withy defence, the conversion making it 22-10 to the hosts at half time.

The sin binning of Nott for stamping on his opposite number's head gave the visitors plenty of impetus after the break, and Withycombe's backs drew the second half's first blood with an impressive move of their own just after half time. Danny Sansom dived over to make it 22-15, but injuries to Mike Richards and James Perkins meant that Withycombe's reserves were running low. Crediton's ex-Plymouth Albion fly-half Mark Lee, a menace throughout, came into his own later on, scoring a try of his own, then converting a try from a driven lineout and setting up a breakaway try to leave the visitors reeling at 39-22. Withycombe would not give up, though, and a withering hit from Andrei Toma forced a turnover which allowed Ben Mardle to screech 50 metres under the posts. Danny Sansom then beat half the Crediton defence single handedly, offloading to Matt Brambles who was on the wing for some reason, who in turn fed Ben Tuckett to score in his last league game for Withycombe before moving to Norfolk. Lee broke again to score for Crediton to dash any remaining Withycombe hopes, but the green and blacks were to have the last word as some sevens-style offloading and a crossfield kick landed the ball in the hands of Rob Hayes, who took off in a zigzag motion before settling, inevitably, under the posts untouched. The Withycombe supporters will be no doubt drooling at the prospect of a full season with Hayes following his impressive bit part role this year, and if this performance is anything to go by, there's some very entertaining rugby in store. The Oliver Marsden Memorial Match, in aid of CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) will be at Totnes RFC next Sunday to unofficially close the curtain on Withycombe's year.

Pirates Amateurs v Withycombe (Apr 2013)

Cornish Pirates Amateurs 12

Withycombe 20

Withycombe put in their finest away performance of the season at the Mennaye Field on Saturday having travelled down the night before. Steeled by a cultured night in Camborne, the visitors planted a green and black flag in Cornish turf for the first time this season at the seventh time of asking.

After starting miserably the majority of the time, Withycombe came out all guns blazing. A one-handed lineout take gave the backs front foot ball, Danny Sansom picking the ball off his toes and slicing through the Pirates defence with a coruscating run and leaving the full back for dead as he raced over to open the scoring. Jack Pugsley's increasingly reliable boot made it 7-0. Withycombe's mobile pack were getting the better of their lumpy opponents in the tight and, more tellingly, in the loose. Quick ball meant Mike Symons at scrum half could make the most of his considerable pace and it was his break down the left of the field that fed John Parkin, whose educated feet jinked this way and that, before setting up a switch with Jack Pugsley. Pugsley's straightened line and powerful running strained the defence to breaking point and he converted his own try from under the posts. More Withycombe pressure gave Pugsley a penalty kick at goal and the visitors were cruising at 17-0.

The last five minutes of the first stanza belonged to the Pirates though, as Withycombe's disclipline deserted them. The Pirates' pick and go game left little to the imagination, but proved effective as Withycombe infringed again and again. The Pirates scored just before half time to make it 17-7 at the break.

The early pressure in the second half came from Withycombe as they looked to put the game out of sight; scores were becoming hard to come by in the worsening conditions. Mike Richards was unlucky not be awarded a try after taking several defenders over the line with him and grounding the ball and grounding the ball somewhere amongst the heap. Pugsley kicked another penalty from the ensuing play as Withy snatched the points on offer.The effects of a long season started to show on Withycombe's reserves, injuries to Dave Richards, Matt Brambles, Danny Sansom and others meaning that the interchange cards got plenty of use. The Pirates used the disarray to their advantage, rumbling up the field and making Withycombe infringe again with the pick and go, before a freak spinal injury to the Pirates scrum half and captain Ashley Weston meant the game was halted for over twenty minutes while an ambulance was called. Weston thankfully made a full recovery by the following day. The sin binning of Jack Pugsley shortly after the resumption of play made scoring something of an inevitability for the Pirates, though the conversion was missed to leave a crucial eight-point gap.

Both sides attempted to play rugby but come the end the ball became something of a liability and Withycombe's smart tactical kicking and composure under pressure meant they stuck it out for a thrid win in a row. After a fallow middle third to the season, Withycombe's fortunes have picked up recently; the second XV also won on Saturday, beating Totnes 51-5 at home, and the the first team will be chasing a fifth place finish next week at Crediton, 

Withycombe v Wessex (Apr 2013)

Withycombe 59

Wessex 5

Withycombe hosted their final home game of the league season last Saturday, fielding a full strength side save for the inclusion of skipper Dave Richards switching from hooker to fly-half. Wessex, already relegated, brought a strong side and thankfully both teams seemed more eager to play rugby than the last time they met!

Withycombe started slowly as usual, Wessex veteran Steve Boatfield showing Danny Sansom a clean pair of heels to put the visitors 5-0 up after only five minutes. That was to be the last of the Wessex scoring for the day as Withycombe scored 59 unanswered points, though the scoreline was flattering. Rob Hayes proved the difference in the early stages, his fleetness of foot proving lethal on the firm ground. Three blindside moves from scrums gave Hayes a first half hat-trick, first from a scrum on the 22, then from halfway as the ensuing kickoff failed to go ten metres, before Mike Symons outfoxed the bolstered defence with a clever grubber kick for Hayes to gratefully scoop up for his third. Lee Tanton kicked all three conversions to give Withycombe a 21-5 halftime lead, despite being second best at the breakdown. Two yellow cards, first to Ben Mardle and then to Phil Sluman just before Mardle's return, underlined Wessex's fine play in the loose. 

The second half would do the visitors no favours though, as Withycombe's pace outside turned half-chances into tries. Terry Mears scored under the posts early in the second half to effectively end Wessex hopes of salvaging a win. Lee Tanton then put a speculative kick into the air, only for the Wessex backs to completely flub the catch allowing Kevin Rodwell, moonlighting at flanker, to collect and score unchallenged beneath the posts. Two more Tanton conversions made it 35-5. Wessex captain Dean Meldon was next to go to the bin, opening the floodgates on the scoring somewhat. A blindside break gave Adam Morris a five-pointer, then a fine three-quarter move allowed Danny Sansom to put Rob Hayes in for an incredible eighth try in two games, and a turnover directly from the ensuing kickoff resulted in Matt Brambles dotting down. Dave Richards added a conversion to the latter to make it 52-5, where the scoring ceased for a while. To add insult to injury, Adam Morris intercepted a wayward pass in the Wessex backline to score from halfway, a Tanton conversion rounding off the scoring. Withycombe travel to Penzance next week looking to extend their run of wins, whilst the 2nd XV host Sidmouth in preparation of club stalwart Paul Clarke's 50th birthday celebrations.

OPM v Withycombe (Mar 2013)

OPM 36
Withycombe 44

Withycombe travelled to Old Plymothians and Mannameadians on Saturday with both sides facing severe disruptions to their selection process following the hasty rearrangement of the fixture. OPM opened the scoring with a breakaway try, Withycombe responding first with a Paddy Shaw penalty and then Mike Symons breaking down the blindside before feeding Rob Hayes who darted over to make it 8-7 in Withies' favour. OPMs hit back with another try before Symons again exploited the blindside, this time finishing the job himself to leave the score 13-12 at halftime.

The previous fixture between the sides was a tight affair, finishing 23-22 in Withies' favour, but this one really opened up in the second half as both teams' makeshift defences struggled. OPM opened the scoring to take the lead before Withycombe hit back with two tries, first from Adam Morris up the left wing, then a chip from MIke Symons was collected by Rob Hayes. The game was still nip and tuck until a Ben Mardle chip bounced favourably, allowing Adam Morris to score under the posts, Lee Tanton converting to make it 30-17 in Withycombe's favour. Although OPM closed the gap with another converted try, Rob Hayes replied with the try of the match. After finally scoring is first ever try for Withycombe two weeks ago at a sodden Raleigh Park, Hayes showed what his feet could do with some decent conditions as he ran riot, receiving a clever reverse pass from Matt Brambles before flummoxing four OPM defenders to score. He then added another minutes later, Lee Tanton converting both to make it 44-24. OPM secured themselves a bonus point and a more respectable scoreline with two late tries but Withycombe will be glad to come away with 5 points and looking to build on this performance for the visit of Wessex next weekend.