Withycombe 17 - Exmouth 19

With most of the Junior Rugby being cancelled due to waterlogged pitches the Local derby match between Withycombe & Exmouth under 13s was able to proceed courtesy of St Peters School. This was always going to be a tense affair with both sides having enjoyed a good season to date and friendly rivalry giving much to play for. There was good support for both teams and it most certainly “a game of two halves” Exmouth won the toss and opted to play up the slope and into the bright spring sunshine in the first half.

Withycombe got off to a good start and were soon deep in Exmouth territory and while some sterling defence kept the hosts out for a while the pressure soon resulted in Withycombe crossing the line only to find the Cockles had successfully held the ball up. Quick ball from the resulting scrum gave Withies the chance to touch down to get the first points on the board, unfortunately the conversion attempt was just wide of the upright. But it was not long before WIthycombe again had the opportunity to score and this time a well worked move from a 5m Lineout and a conversion allowed Withycombe to stretch their lead to 12 points. Exmouth started to have some possession and were working well as a team and there was now some parity in the game only for them to get knocked back by a clean line break from midfield and sublime offload by Withycombe to score their third and the best try of the match.

To be 17 – 0 down and not much of the first half remaining Exmouth had much to do and then flanker Arron Lee had to leave the field following a facial injury, but Exmouth dug deep into their souls, reorganised the pack and Jared Palmer joined the fray which helped to balance the scrum. The Cockles had their hosts on the back foot for a sustained period and inevitably they were rewarded when Harry Sprague now playing at Number Eight picked up from the back of a 5 metre scrum and forced his way over to pull back the score to 17 – 5 at half time. Had it not been for some great defensive work the deficit could have been far greater.

Exmouth had the basics right and in the second half they were just a little bit more clinical which gave them the territory and possession needed to take the game to the Withies. Korbin Gillman having replaced Eddie Ford at Loose Head Prop sustained a shoulder injury half way through the second half but played well for the period he was on the field. The Exmouth front row of Jack Briggs, Olly Cowley (Blu Sandy 2nd half) and Eddie Ford had the better of their larger opposition and the scrum was working well. And this enabled the Cockles to dominate for long periods of the second half. Withycombe were determined to retain their lead and defended with vigour, however the Cockles were probing across the pitch and Callum Freeman & Zac Tucker were giving the width of attack which was needed to open spaces in the middle, eventually Ben Dawson broke through from the centre and touched down under the posts which left him with a simple task to convert his try and take their tally to 12.

This was to be a good period for the Cockles and after a further session of being camped on the Withies 5 metre line Dawson scrambled over to level the score at 17 points each. Unaware of the score line being even Dawson stepped up and converted to give the Cockles the lead for the first time. There was not much time remaining and Withycombe threw everything at the Cockles but the defence was solid and The Cockles were pleased to take the 2 point victory.

After the match Coach Mike Sprague congratulated his team on a great performance and praised everyone who took to the field and those who didn’t get the opportunity to play on this occasion. This was a very competitive game of rugby played in good spirit between two fairly evenly balanced teams and does much to show the pool of talent in the town.