Saltash v Withycombe

Ashes Topple Withy

Saltash come out on top as both sides play to their strengths in ten-try thriller 

Saltash 37
Withycombe 35

Saltash brought Withycombe's 14-game winning streak to an end in a pulsating top of the table clash at Moorlands Lane on Saturday.

After some tight early exchanges, a long range try from Saltash with 23 minutes gone put them 10-0 up with Withycombe looking somewhat rattled. The visitors fought their way back into the game as they reverted to their strength: smash mouth rugby. Withycombe's forwards had their nose to the grindstone as they worked their way up the field, with their scrum once again scoring a pushover try to get them back into the game. More of the same put the visitors in the lead at the break as Withycombe took a stranglehold on the game. The lineout drive was foiled but the pick-and-go opened the door for Andrei Toma to pick up a vital score on his return to first team rugby.

With Danny Sansom sent to the sin bin five minutes before half time, the first five minutes of the second half would always be a challenge for Withycombe, but no one expected what came next. Saltash all but put the game to bed with 12 explosive minutes of all out attack, scoring three long range tries and a penalty to go from 14-10 down to 32-14 up.

Having lost the control that brought them back into game in the first half, the visitors regained some composure and a try from Jon Axon off a lineout drive helped to settle some nerves. Withycombe now trailed by 11 points with 24 minutes still to go. Joe Parkin was sent to the sin bin on 60 minutes but Withycombe still managed another pushover try to bring themselves within four points with eight minutes to play. Yet another long range try from Saltash's back line might have killed Withycombe spirits two years ago, and it certainly created some noise around the clubhouse, but Withycombe weren't quite done yet.

Mike Richards' solo effort from 35 metres out was converted by Glenn Channing to leave Withycombe two points adrift and had the Withycombe fly half's knee not been hurt with a late tackle just a minute into the game, a kickable penalty with 90 seconds left on the clock might have extended Withycombe's unbeaten run. Instead they kicked for the corner, where a knock on 5 metres out was not enough to deter them. After turning over the scrum, a third pushover try was too much to ask and Channing was bundled into touch on the final whistle. The result means Saltash leapfrog Withycombe at the top of the league table on points difference. The Raleigh Park boys must now pick themselves up and send a strong message to the league when Hayle come to visit next week.

Withycombe: Jack Pugsley, Danny Sansom, Aaron Conway, Joe Parkin (YC), Sam Conway, Glenn Channing, John Parkin, Phil Sluman, Dave Richards, Liam Cullen, Jon Axon (1T), Dave Sims, Andrei Toma (1T), Simon Tozer, Mike Richards (3T). Reps: Max Cooke, Richard Hodges, Adam Morris.