Withycombe v Tiverton

Withycombe 14

Tiverton 17

Tiverton only led for a total of four minutes but it was enough to secure them four points in a tight encounter at Raleigh Park.

Tivvy stay unbeaten but Withycombe can take heart from a commanding performance in a game that proved a fantastic advert for Devon rugby. Withycombe opened the scoring on 15 minutes after fly half Glenn Channing was hit late, Jack Pugsley kicking the goal. 

The very slight incline on the pitch proved a considerable factor; Channing's boot using it to Withycombe's advantage throughout the first half, and Pugsley was to strike two more penalties before half time to edge Withycombe to a 9-0 lead at the break.

Tiverton started the second half the brighter, a string of rare missed tackles from the Withycombe midfield allowing Johann Van Wyk to score by the posts. With Tivvy using the hill just like the home side had in the first half, Withycombe spent much of their time defending, and a further three points from a penalty niudged Tiverton in front for the first time in the game. 

Withycombe hit straight back after winning their own restart, a clever kick from Jack Pugsley forcing Tiverton to concede a lineout on their own 5m line. From the lineout, the unlikely figure of Glenn Channing emerged from the rubble over the tryline to claim his fourth try of the season. 

The game returned to Withycombe's stout defence holding out wave after wave of Tiverton attack, and with three minutes to go, the levee finally broke. A series of pick-and-go carries and mauls eventually resulted in Tivvy scoring a workmanlike winning try and converting with three minutes to go. The result sets up a mouthwatering return fixture at Coronation Field in March should both teams keep up their current form. Next week Withycombe host Western Counties outfit Kingsbridge in the Devon Cup, while the 2nd XV look to maintain their unbeaten run in the Merit Table at Tiverton.