Liskeard-Looe v Withycombe

Front Row Swag Sinks Liskeard

Withycombe's big boys do the business against weak but never-say-die Liskeard

Liskeard-Looe 6
Withycombe 73

Withycombe cruised to victory over struggling Liskeard but still dropped to second on points difference as title rivals Saltash thumped Exeter Saracens by 115 points.

Withycombe's scrum did the bulk of the work with No.8 Mike Richards helping himself to four tries including three pushover efforts. In between the grunt there was a smattering of glitter as the visitors scored some long range tries to keep things interesting. After the first pushover, John Parkin's tap penalty led to a trademark jinking run before Dave Richards, still playing fly-half, did much the same ten minutes later. Terry Mears marked his comeback with some strong running and helped to set up the next try, offloading to Eugene Badenhorst who put Joe Parkin over for the first of his hat-trick.

Liskeard nabbed a couple of penalties in the first half but that would be the extent of their scoring. Glen Layton's break restored order as Joe Parkin got his second, before Mike Richards took a quick dropout and finished what he started under the posts after another good run from Layton. Another pushover left the score at 47-6 at halftime.

In a sense 26 points was a poor return for a second half where Liskeard were reduced to 13 men, but Withycombe had their own troubles as injuries left them with 14 on the pitch, seven of which are front row players by trade! The bulk of the scoring was done early on. First the obligatorry pushover, and then two tries directly from kickoffs. Dave Sims finally caught a restart and Terry Mears injured himself scoring the ensuing try, before Dave Richards made a break from the next one and left Joe Parkin with 40 metres of grass between him and the tryline.

With half of their players belonging to the front row union, Withycombe struggled to score until the last minute when a booming kick from Glenn Channing on the 22 was gleefully collected and run in by Ben Clark moonlighting on the wing. Withycombe now have the traditional Presidents' XV game on Boxing Day before resuming league duties on the 3rd of January with a tricky trip to Bude.

Withycombe: Glenn Channing (9C), Jimmy Holman, Joe Parkin (3T), Terry Mears (1T), Glen Layton, Dave Richards (1T), John Parkin (1T), Phil Sluman, Liam Cullen, Chris Gibbons, Dave Sims, Tim Wills, Eugene Badenhorst, Ben Clark (1T), Mike Richards (4T). Reps: Sam Manning, Max Cooke, Dan Carey.

Withycombe v Honiton

Withycombe Stay Top

24-point margin keeps chasers at bay for now, but Withycombe will be disappointed with second-half haul against mid-table Honiton

Withycombe 41
Honiton 17

We've reached the halfway point in the season and Withycombe sit atop the Cornwall and Devon league by the slimmest of margins in points difference. With Crediton and Saltash both joining Withycombe on 60 points, not only bonus points but winning differentials are assuming a great deal of importance and Withycombe will be disappointed with not capitalising having been 29 unanswered points to the good at half time on Saturday.

Withycombe got out of the blocks in the best way possible, a lineout drive set by Dave Sims allowing Liam Cullen to break from the back of the maul and crash over in the corner in the first minute. On 7 minutes a scrum against the head saw Number 8 Mike Richards in unfamiliar territory as he picked from the base and "ran" 40 metres to score, dummying the full back along the way. He was back in his comfort zone 15 minutes later as the Withycombe pack scored yet another pushover try at the Brook End of the club.

The other Richards brother would be next to score as Joe Parkin made a spectacular break and uncharacteristically made his best effort at butchering the finish, being brought down within the 5 metre line. Fortunately Dave was on hand to collect the offload and secure the bonus point with 35 minutes on the clock. Sam Conway rounded off the first half scoring when he got on the end of a three-quarter move and fought through two defenders to get himself over the line.

Withycombe started the second half with Simon Tozer in the sin bin but their one-man deficit can hardly be blamed for Honiton's first score as some lax defending allowed the visitors in for a long range try. Withycombe hit straight back with a Parkin scissor move, John offloading to brother Joe who finished this one with aplomb under the posts. This was not the sign of Withycombe taking the game by the scruff of the neck again, though, as Honiton went over for another long range try to the consternation of coach Glenn Channing.

For the next 25 minutes the game remained scrappy, with both sides possibly guilty of trying to play too much rugby in the conditions. Withycombe created lots of chances but lacked a finishing edge until a simple blindside scrum move put Sam Conway over in the opposite corner to his first half try. Honiton had the last word but all eyes now turn to Liskeard for Withycombe. After Liskeard failed to send a side to Hayle last week, the league leaders will be looking to capitalise and give their points difference a healthy boost going into the Christmas break.

Withycombe: Jack Pugsley, Sam Conway (2T), Joe Parkin (1T), John Parkin, Jimmy Holman, Glenn Channing (3C), Dave Richards (1T), Phil Sluman, Liam Cullen (1T), Chris Gibbons, Dave Sims, Matt Bragg, Eugene Badenhorst, Simon Tozer (YC), Mike Richards (2T). Reps: Sam Manning, Tim Wills, Ben Clark.

South Molton v Withycombe

Withycombe Brush molton Aside

South Molton 5
Withycome 41

Withycombe storm back to the top of the Cornwall & Devon league on points difference with an emphatic victory at South Molton

Withycombe put their Devon Cup disappointment behind them with a commanding display at basement boys South Molton on Saturday.

Four first-half tries nabbed the bonus point early and fortunately Withycombe's second-half attenuation wasn't t be an issue.

The fun started early as a scrum turnover gave Dave Richards the opportunity to show off his range of passing at flyhalf, a long looping pass allowing Jack Pugslry to open the scoring. Six minutes later some persistent phase play culminated in Dave Sims crashing over from short range. A quick tap on 24 minutes gave Sam Conway space to open his legs and he outpaced the Molton defence to score Withycombe's third. South Molton missed a penalty on 29 minutes but rarely looked like scoring; and just three minutes later Richards made his case for ousting Glenn Channing from the 10 shirt on a permanent basis with a show-and-go try featuring a hip action Channing can only dream of!

The second half was a messier affair. Having dominated the scrum and breakdown in the first half, penalties started going against Withycombe in both departments, and perhaps the visitors' eagerness to score was their undoing as passes started going to ground. Simon Tozer came off the bench to bag a try and on 50 minutes Joe Parkin's 60 metre break set the stage for Pugsley to core a straightforward second, but pickings were slim after that. Dan Carey bagged his first try in Withycombe colours from a driving maul, and South Molton ended with some reward for the second half efforts after som confusion in the Withycombe 22 led to a Garryowen bouncing straight into the arms of the onrushing Molton full back.

Next week Honiton visit Raleigh Park before Withycombe wrap up their 2014 league action with a visit to wooden spoon contenders Liskeard.

Withycombe: Jack Pugsley (2T, 3C), Sam Conway (1T), Aaron Conway, Joe Parkin, Danny Sansom, Dave Richards (1T), John Parkin, Dave Wellbeloved, Liam Cullen, Phil Sluman, Dave Sims (1T), Matt Bragg, Andrei Toma, Eugene Badenhorst, Mike Richards. Reps: Dan Carey (1T), Tim Wills, Simon Tozer (1T).

Teignmouth v Withycombe (DIC)

Wills but no Way for Withy

Tim's first 5-pointer not enough to see off Teignmouth in the Devon Cup

Teignmouth 14
Withycombe 5

Withycombe crashed out of the Devon Cup at the first hurdle for a third consecutive year but acquitted themselves well against a Teignmouth side thriving in the league above.

Despite the scoreline and the conditions, the game was far from a drab affair, with both teams eager to attack and ferocious in defence.

Withycombe had the better of the first half with plenty of time in the Teignmouth half but all they had to show for it was Tim Wills' first-ever first team try after good work down the blindside from John Parkin and Sam Conway. Some more positives to come from the game were Chris Gibbons returning to the first team fold following his sabbatical in Australia and an enterprising performance from Dave Richards who switched from his more familiar role of hooker to fly-half for the day.

In the second half Withycombe's defence was tested to breaking point as they struggled to get out of their own half. Teignmouth stil struggled to break them down as time and again the rolling maul was stopped until Mike Richards fell foul of the referee and was sent to the sin bin on 57 minutes. Teignmouth scored shortly before Withycombe returned to full strength, and despite the best efforts, the attack simply wouldn't click. Teignmouth scored the decisive try with just two minutes remaining to send Withycombe home empty-handed, but the visitors can take heart from the league standings; should they achiev their aim of promotion this year, this performance suggests that they won't struggle next year.

This weekend the first team visit whipping boys South Molton as the second XV resume their Merit Table duties as they welcome Brixham to Raleigh Park.

Withycombe:Sam Conway, Joe Parkin, Aaron Conway, Andrei Toma, Lee Tanton, Dave Richards, John Parkin, Dave Wellbeloved, Liam Cullen, Phil Sluman, Dave Sims, Tim Wills (1T), Matt Bragg, Eugene Badenhorst, Mike Richards (YC). Reps: Max Cooke, Chris Gibbons, Richards Hodges, Glen Layton.