Junior Fixtures
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Latest Match Reports
Under 13s dig deep to defeat the Cockles (12/04/10) U13’s Match Report Sunday 7th March 2010 Sidmouth v ExmouthSidmouth – 12 Exmouth - 5 Exmouth kept Sid under pressure initially with good forward play driving the home side back to the try line. This gave the visitors a chance to score their only try in the fourth minute. As play restarted good tackling by Sam Turner and Lewis Horne led to 5 metre line out in Exmouth territory. With Sid winning the ball a series of cycling plays led to a three man charge by Dominic Bess, Dan Powell and Horne on the wing who ran into a Exmouth defensive wall 5 metres out. As Sid’s drove over Rabbie Hansford took up the charge to drive through and score a converted try in the 12th minute. As the game restarted Exmouth once more attacked though a turn over gave Sid’s Harry West and Edward Thomas the opportunity to make a running play and good ground. A five yard scrum saw Sid once more reach the try line though a held up ball deigned them the points before the half time whistle. With the second half starting good tackling play by Callum Archibald opened a Sid charge with Bess and West getting near the try line only for the Exmouth defence to turn over the ball. This saw Exmouth’s Shaun Ford leave the match for hospital injured. A combination of good play by Sid’s Brad Reiff-Arnold, Powell, Horne, Bes and Turner gave Thomas the chance to score in the 27th minute and though Exmouth tried their hardest, Sidmouth kept them at bay for the remainder of this match. Richard Horne Richard Horne (uploaded cd) (Report ID No. 176) |
Under 13s defeat Tourists (12/04/10) U13’s Match Report Sunday 11th April 2010 Sidmouth v OakmeadiansSidmouth – 44 Oakmeadians - 10 A Bournemouth touring side called Oakmeadians played the Sidmouth under 13’s at Blackmore on Sunday 11th April. Oaks opened the scoring early on with a fast running try down the wing with a three man combo slicing through the Sidmouth pack, though Sid’s responded quickly with Henry Gater making an interception to level the points in the 5th minute. This was followed by Bradley Reiff-Arnold who capitalised on a combined team effort to get him 5 metres out for the chance to stream through the Oaks line and score a try which Dominic Bess to successfully converted. Sidmouth’s Rabbie Hansford stretched his legs for an excellent half pitch running try crashing through three of the Oaks defence before placing the ball to round off the first half. As play restarted once more Hansford found the try line after picking up the ball from a driving ruck to score in the 33rd minute, followed by a Gater try after another interception plus conversion by Dan Powell in the 36th minute. A 10 metre penalty gave the Sidmouth forwards time to shine with Reith-Arnold making 5 metres passing to James Hawkins who made the final push through the Oaks line and score. Hansford converted. It was Hansford once more who regained ground down the wing after an Oaks drop kick failed to make touch. As the ball recycled Powell made another five metres ready to pass to Lewis Horne who made the final push to score in the 46th minute. Oakmeadians made a final effort and drove Sid’s back to their line in a succession of driving plays scoring in the 49th minute. Though, once more Sid’s responded with great passing play down the line producing an overlap allowing Bess to score in the final minutes. Richard Horne Richard Horne (uploaded cd) (Report ID No. 177) |
Fine Win at Launceston for Under 13s (15/12/09)U13’s Match Report Sunday 13TH December 2009 Launceston V SidmouthLaunceston – 5 Sidmouth - 41 A kind invitation by Launceston RFC to host Sidmouth U13’s led to a good turn out by both teams. Though the LFRC ground appeared to be under a Hogwarts anti-muggle charm and invisible to many of the Sidmouth parents, especially the Rattue’s who apparently went via St Ives. The initial minutes saw both teams finding their feet and exploring each other defence. Sid’s drew first blood after a 5 yard lineout and a quick scrum fed the ball to Rabbie Hansford who charged through the Launceston line in the fifth minute. Dan Powell converted. As the game restarted Sid’s found the Launceston Achilles heal kicking deep into their territory then intercepting before the home side could return the ball. Good passing to the wing found Edward Thomas who scored in the eighth minute. Followed by another from Thomas in the fifteenth minute when a long pass from Dominic Bess led to an overlap and eventual try. Launceston failed to capitalise on the multiple penalty’s awarded against Sid, instead the visitors attacked forcing the home side back to their 5 yard line. Excellent forward driving play from James Thomas, Bugsy Hawkins, Hansford, Connor Fry and Lewis Horne gave Bradley Reiff-Arnold the chance to crash through to the line and score before the half time whistle. As the second half started Sam Turner led a series of tackles and driving plays to give Reiff-Arnold once more the chance to score in the 29th minute. Another long distance kick from Powell led to an interception by Horne to plant the Sid forwards deep in the LRFC half. With Fry going to ground Hawkins picked up the ball for the final push over the line. Powell once more converted. Play slowed down with several more penalty’s against the visitors though Sid picked up the pace once more with excellent passing play down the line to Will Amos who scored a well deserved try in the forty first minute. In the dying minutes LRFC finally pulled a try back after another penalty gave them the chance to score on the wing. Richard Horne Richard Horne (uploaded cd) (Report ID No. 175) |
Under 12s in Fine Form (13/10/09)SRFC U12’s Sunday 11th October 2009Sidmouth U12s 63 Honiton U12s 0 This proved to be a far easier encounter than the previous week at Okehampton. The Sidmouth pack were on top from the word go and provided great ball for the Sidmouth backs to exploit their superior speed and strength. The return of Tom Counsell provided the power to Sidmouth’s mid field to blast through Honiton’s defence. Honiton never gave up and their forwards charged into Sidmouth’s defence all morning, but were brought to ground by great tackling from Henry Thomas, Lucan Horsnell and Jack Bevans. The half back pairing of Aaron Bagwell and Sam Cavin were pulling the strings and the back line of Tom Counsell, Harry Lovell, Jack Scrivens, Edward Oswald and Billy Collin looked like they could score whenever they had the Ball. Every kick off was fielded cleanly and great ball presentation, from Toby Lee in particular, set up quick ruck ball well won by Jerome Blackburn and Theo Headon. The Sidmouth squad policy meant many changes in personnel; with the introduction of Ashley Baker, Charlie Norris, William Thomas, Tom Thorne, Finley Stone, Connor Woodhouse, Benn Cook, Lewis Roberts and Edward Polley. However with regular game time for all, we saw no drop in intensity and the tries continued to flow. Honiton had some very spirited runners who kept going through the entire game and were within inches of breaking through on many occasions and I’m sure their coaches were proud of their efforts. The only disappointment of the day was the right hand touch judge’s failure to keep up with play - something to do with a loss of glasses was the excuse when he was chastised by the referee. Roger Aplin (uploaded cd) (Report ID No. 174) |
Under 12s Win at Okes (07/10/09)SRFC U12’s Sunday 4th October 2009Okehampton U12s 7 Sidmouth U12s 28 I’m sure most of the Sidmouth forwards will agree that this was a hard fight with Sidmouth struggling to deal with a much heavier Oke pack. The match started well for Sidmouth with multi phases of play from good rucks leading to an overlap for the backs which was well put away by Sam Cavin. Sidmouth crossed the line twice more, only for the ref to be unsighted and unable to award a try. Oke crossed the line themselves but again the ref was unsighted and no try was awarded. Sidmouth scored again when Angus Eaton strolled in unopposed thanks to good forward work and vision from the half backs. Oke replied immediately as the kick off took a wicked bounce which was pounced on to score. Sidmouth replied in similar fashion with Billy Collin pouncing on his own kick off to restore the two try lead. The Sidmouth pack then gained the upper hand to finish the stronger with man of the match Aaron Bagwell taking advantage of a powerful drive from a five yard scrum to break up the blind side to score. The match certainly showed up some areas of play which need a lot of work but it also showed what a great squad ethic we have with all the coaches agreeing that every player had played their part in this hard fought victory. Well done to you all we are off to a winning start but you need to concentrate on the basic skills being taught at training so that we can improve our performance. On a funnier note the team have decided that although Derek Blackburn’s tightrope walking skills leave a lot to be desired his tumbling skills are exemplary (Derek tripped over the safety rope and tumbled down the bank onto the pitch - he was unscathed). Roger Aplin (uploaded cd) (Report ID No. 173) |
U13s PLAY THE OKEY COKEY (07/10/09)U13s PLAY THE OKEY COKEYOkehampton U13s 10 pts v Sidmouth U13s 10 pts Devon Cup 1st Round at Okehampton A brilliant all round team performance took the boys forward into the next round of the Devon Cup by virtue of the away draw rule. Early Okehampton pressure was absorbed and good back play went unrewarded by last minute handling errors due to the wet conditions. The basis of a 0 – 0 scoreline at half time was the excellent scrummaging by the forwards and some good tackling by the backs. The second half was dominated by Sidmouth, encouraged by their 1st half performance. Great scrummaging and rucking by the forwards ensured good ball from which Dan Powell and Rabbie Hansford were able to pierce the Okey defence to give Sidmouth a deserved lead on two occasions. Unfortunately Okey responded with tries of their own after each of our tries, but it was Sidmouth who looked most likely to score in the dying minutes. A superb display against a strong team away from home will give the boys great encouragement for the season on top of their victory against Tiverton last week. Graham Briggs ( Uploaded cd) (Report ID No. 172) |
Under 14s Welsh Tour (10/09/09)Sidmouth U14’s Welsh Tour 2009By Rich Jenkins Penclawdd U14s 28 Sidmouth U13s 32 Treorchy U14s 17 Sidmouth U14s 25 An early start at Sidford spelt the start the of the U14s tour of S Wales and it wasn’t long before the specialist skills of the some of the dads were required to ensure smooth thoroughfare of the coach. An onward uneventful journey resulted in a punctual arrival…. at a low bridge near Peclawdd Rugby Club. Another obstacle overcome and it was time for the boys to do their bit. Early scores straight from the whistle caught the home side napping, Sidmouth going on to dominate the first half against a physical Welsh team. Superior handling skills ensured dominant possession and the strength of the forwards maintained the territorial advantage. Half time changes brought the rest of the squad into play and, after a settling in period, during which Penclawdd clawed their way back into the game, a determined Sidmouth put some more points on the board, just enough to see them through to the final whistle which was welcomed by relieved travelling fans. Then it was into the clubhouse for well-earned refreshments (and something for the boys) and off to the hotel where further refreshments awaited. Evening team building exercises then ensured the continuity of the boys’ training schedule and a very constructive time was had by all, despite some of the worst refereeing decisions of the whole two days. An early night for all resulted in everyone being bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the second day’s adventure and the boys were soon dominating another aggressive Welsh side. An excellent game of rugby produced great rucking from both sides but a superior teamplay with every boy, without exception, standing up to be counted and keeping calm heads when required produced a very apt finale to a wonderful tour. A big thank you goes to Janet, Carron, Dan and others for ‘making it happen’. Rich Jenkins (Report ID No. 171) |
Strength and Pressure (07/04/08)Sidmouth 5 Newton Abbott 27Sidmouth started the stronger side in this friendly match and dominated the first half. Dan Colson opened the scoring after 5 minutes with a powerful run through the opposing defence following some nifty footwork by Matt Goss. Newton Abbott piled on the pressure but were unable to get out of their half of the pitch as the Sidmouth pack kept hold of the ball. James Stokes, Sam Tollerfield and Ryan Davies being particularly strong at holding on to the ball. Matt Berry and Will Gator had excellent games with sturdy tackling. However, just before half time Newton Abbott broke into the Sidmouth half and scored a breakaway try to go 7-5 up. Newton Abbott came out in the second half with the luxury of replacements and these fresh legs proved to be the downfall for Sidmouth. An early try for them and a few injuries to key players took their toll. Sidmouth sustained pressure for a further 20 minutes before finally Newton Abbott’s strong pack took control and ran in 3 more tries. This was a physical match and both side played some really good rugby. Man of the match was tom Smith for his continual dogged efforts at breaking through the defence. With the season nearly over the side should take stock of what they have accomplished this season and how far they have improved. Next year it’s up to the colts and the players are ready for the test. Players – Sam Jenkins, Ross Skinner, James Stokes, Tom Smith, Matt Berry, Ryan Davies, Will Gater, Sam Tollerfierld, Tom Harris, Mike Boraston, Ben Salter, Rob Cole, Dan Colson, Craig trice, Matt Goss – Coaches Harry (I’ll be on time) Chesterton and Andy Boraston Marc Colson (Report ID No. 170) |
Under 13s make Devon Final (31/03/08) Devon Cup Semi FinalSidmouth U13’s 27 Barnstaple 5 Sidmouth’s ground staff (Henri and a bucket) pulled out all the stops to play this crucial, previously delayed, cup semi final against Barnstaple, this Sunday. Sidmouth, having lost earlier in the season to Barum, were determined to set the record book straight. Barnstaple, a well coached side with talented backs, arrived early and looked extremely confident in their new kit. Conditions were perfect, apart from underfoot, which could only be described as squishy! Sidmouth kicked off in front of a large local crowd, and were worryingly sluggish, until Prop Johnny Youngman seized his moment. A fantastic interception at the front of a line out, with a strong drive, saw Sidmouth advance rapidly into the opposition 22. Quick hands in the backs, then allowed left wing, Alex Dunn to leave his winger for dead to score in the corner. Sidmouth’s forwards soon relaxed into their roles and started to work their drills. Suddenly, Sidmouth’s backs, at full strength for the first time this year, began to see a lot of the ball. This gave Sidmouth’s right winger, Oli Tollerfield the opportunity to also show his considerable speed, to round his wing to double the score. Sidmouth now had total dominance in the forwards and superior speed in all departments in the backs. Inevitably, Alex Dunn added another try just before half time. Sidmouth historically restart sluggishly, and annoyingly conceded a sloppy try, giving Barnstaple a glimmer of hope, but that was all it was. Once Sidmouth started to concentrate, Barnstaple never looked like scoring. Highlight of the second half, was a wonderful run out of his 22 by centre Olly Blyth, outpacing the Barnstaple speed merchants, and deftly popping the ball up to Oli Tollerfield to go in flamboyantly under the posts. Alex Dunn capped an awesome display of sprint running by getting his hat trick near the end. The ease of Sidmouth’s win would not have been possible without the superb display by Sidmouth’s forwards, who ran themselves into the ground. Second row Gavin Pearson was immaculate in the line out and frightening in the loose. Flanker Bryn Henrickson had his best game of the season, he literally covered every blade of grass and was a nuisance all day. Connor Male had a terrific tussle with his opposing hooker, eventually taking three against the head. Fly Half Isaac Radford also kicked beautifully out of hand and added a conversion in tricky mud. Sidmouth now face the exciting prospect of playing Devonport Services in the final at Plymouth Albion’s ground on April the 13th. Charabanc’s to be arranged. Don Blyth (uploaded cd) (Report ID No. 169) |
Sidmouth Dominate Upfront (24/03/08) SIDMOUTH RFC U12s 63 vs 19 MELTON MOBRAY This was one the best performances of the season and was a great opportunity for the U12s to test their ability and skills against touring opposition who looked formidable but could not match Sidmouth for speed, handling and game-play. It was however no walk-over and Melton had some strong and committed players who, given the chance, could easily have dominated the game. Sidmouth defended well and produced some excellent rucking which in turned allowed the Sidmouth backs space and options. This was a feature of the game and one which the boys should learn from – each time they produced quick ball, and resisted the temptation to maul, then Sidmouth were off and running. The finishing was excellent and complemented some strong scrummaging which has set a high standard for the rest of the season. There were noteworthy performances all-round but the two stand-out players were Xenon Kearns and Barney Cooper. The scorers were Faulkner, Carlisle, Headon, Cooper and Gallantree and the squad was completed by Downs, Welsford, Rutland, Seldon, Perchard-Richards, Pares, East, Jenkins, Harris, Goddard, Dicks, Norris and Malec. Danny Goddard 9 uploaded cd) (Report ID No. 168) |
Strength In Numbers (24/02/08)Sidmouth 0 Tiverton 24A good crowd gathered on Sunday at Sidford to watch an entertaining game. Sidmouth started the game well but conceded an early try from a loose ball and against the run of play. A charge down and break by Dan Colson nearly evened the score but the referee disallowed a try as it was deemed to be a second movement following a great tackle from the Tiverton full back. Tiverton went up a gear and put in a couple more tries before the close of the half. In the second half Sidmouth’s forwards started to take more control of the game with some superb rucking and scrums. Hooker and Sidmouth’s Man of the Match Ross Skinner played particularly well and took several scrums against the head. Some good kicking and ‘up and unders’ from Ben Salter allowed Ryan Davies a few runs with the ball but the Tivvy defence proved too strong. Ben Rix however did go over for a try which the referee thought was held up despite the protestations from the touchline and it was disallowed. Sam Tollerfield, Henry Griffiths and Tom Smith also deserve a mention for their driving rucks and Ed Hewlett for his consistent determination. The forwards have been working hard in training to get the play quicker and in numbers and this has paid off with big drives and stronger defending resulting in only one try being conceded in the half. All in all this was a good game of rugby and the side needs to reflect on how much they have improved this season and to encourage and support each other. Marc Colson (Report ID No. 167) |
More Fire in their Bellies needed! (03/02/08)Sidmouth had 8 players missing from its squad but were fortunate to have some under 15 players on hand and you would certainly not have noticed the years difference. The players contributed well and with great spirit. It wasn’t enough to lift Sidmouth who lacked their usual aggression.Tiverton started the stronger and were quicker to the ball. Sidmouth’s forwards just off the pace allowing Tiverton to score some easy tries. However the second half Sidmouth regained some fire in their bellies and the forwards started to dominate in the rucks. It was too late to make a difference to the final result and Man of the Match Sam Tollerfield’s scored a well deserved try. Dan Colson and Ben Salter were linking well in the backs and winger Alex ‘Dobby’ Dobson had a great game with strong tackles and good kicks. James Stokes, Rob Jackson and Ed Hewlett used their strength to great effect with some controlled drives with Matt Berry, Lewis Tollerield and Tom Smith picking up loose ball wherever they could. With some key players missing it was always going to be tough but everyone dug in well to the bitter end. Marc Colson (Report ID No. 166) |
Solid Performance results in Victory (22/01/08)Exeter Saracens 0 Sidmouth 24It was only a matter of time, as predicted, before the team work and training paid off. Sidmouth demonstrated a gritty determination to win having lost to the Saracen’s earlier in the season. Sam Tollerfield opened the scoring with the support of his strong and steadfast pack to see him over the try line against a very strong defence. It has to be said that the move for this started with Fly half Mike Boraston taking the ball into a ruck close to the line and it was the support from the pack that made this try possible. Ben Salter safely converted. With Sidmouth in unfamiliar territory i.e. leading the team talk was all important. Some fantastic forward play ensued. Dan Barnes as hooker certainly made a difference in the front row and in the line outs. Harry Tincknell and Ryan Davies were as ever effective getting tackles in early from the scrums. Dan Colson went off injured during the first half and substitutes from the under 15’s came on. Josh Reed, Lewis Tollerfield and Jonny Hamlin arriving to help out as we only had 14 arrive to the match. Coach Harry Chesterton said little as the team talked themselves up for the second half. Saracen’s came out fighting piling on wave after wave of pressure but Ryan Davies found a gap and ran from inside his 22 metre line to score a superb try underneath the posts. Ben was unlucky with the kick but now Sidmouth believed they could win! Minutes later the forwards who worked incredibly hard saw Man of the Match No. 8 Rob Jackson charge forward and over for his first try of the season. This was converted and a minute before the end Rob Jackson was running up the wing in open space. His face contorted with determination and fear he managed to get the ball to Sam Tollerfield who used his last ounce of effort to score. The Saracen’s pack were stronger winning the pushes at most scrums but not necessarily the ball! Tom Smith and Matt Berry are proving formidable in back row positions. Prop James Stokes also had an excellent game using his power to shrug off tackles and gain ground. Craig trice worked well in the backs and his positional play on field is improving all the time linking in with Rob Cole who always enjoys blistering and often brave runs down the wing. This match was all about effort, fierce open play, strong tackling and taking their chances. The fitness finally saw off the Saracen’s who were stunned by the defeat. Well done lads! Marc Colson (Report ID No. 165) |
Physical to the end! (27/11/07)Newton Abbott 20 Sidmouth 15This week’s friendly fixture bore witness to an outstanding performance from the entire squad. Newton Abbott are a tough, physical side but were equally matched in every department and the final score does not do the team justice. Sidmouth were slow to start and an early try against the run of play came as a bit of a shock. Once again our forwards led by Number 8 Ben Rix started to dominate the play winning scrums and line outs well. The backs were handling the ball with pace and the team relaxed enough to try out some new ideas which paid off. Defensively the tackling was awesome - (if a bit late on occasion Dan Colson). Newton Abbott managed to break free on the wing to score a second before half time making it 10-0. The opposition seemed surprised at having to fight so hard to keep the ball and they were obviously frustrated at the determination and strength of the Sidmouth side. It was a welcome return following injury for James stokes who a had a great game in the second row before straining a leg muscle and giving way to Jake Brown who’s tackling is improving. Rob Jackson, Ross Skinner and Ed Hewlett were a very effective front row and are doing their job well in the scrims and in the rucks. The second half did not see a dispirited Sidmouth especially as the opposition brought on 7 pairs of fresh legs! No doubt a reflection on the pressure that Sidmouth were demonstrating against a frustrated Newton Abbott. A well worked move from the backs feeding the back row resulted in Harry Tinknell scoring the first try. Newton Abbott replied with their third before Ryan Davies sprinted up the wing from half way throwing off two tackles to score. Sidmouth then equalised with the determined pack driving forwards before and Sam Tollerfield broke free to go over. The final try by their winger was without doubt a travesty following an obvious forward pass which the ref claimed not to see. Ben Salter, Tom Smith and Rob Cole were brilliant in their tackling - as usual and Craig Trice caught the up and unders well. Mike Boraston had a great game as fly half and with his confidence growing kicked a lovely grubber for Rob Cole to get on the end of. Well done too to Scrum half tom Harris who avoided the foot tapping form the opposition with great athleticism. Sidmouth stuck in until the final whistle having played with heart, passion and good spirit. Fantastic rugby lads. Marc Colson (Report ID No. 164) |
All that’s missing is the belief to win! (19/11/07)Chard 8 Sidmouth 7 November 18th 2007 It was a strong and yet unconfident side that took to the cold and waterlogged pitch. But within minutes of the start the Sidmouth forwards were showing that all they had learned in training was paying off and suddenly the match was there for the taking. Some excellent driving and attacking play meant that Sidmouth were Chards half for most of the game. Sam Tollerfield's usual 'bullish' like driving saw him over the line for a certain try but unfortunately the referee was poorly positioned and decided on a 5 metre scrum. Chard won the scrum and fed it back to their fly half who's kick was charged down by the quick thinking Rob Cole. However the loose ball was deemed to go out for a 22 metre kick. And that’s the way the match went. Despite all the hard work Sidmouth were thwarted with bad luck. The side were bitterly disappointed and just before half time as Sidmouth’s oncentration waned and frustration was taking hold so Chard apitalised with a lucky break up the wing to go over for an unconverted try completely against the run of play. The second half saw Chard take a bit more control in the scrum but again the forwards dug in deep and attacked and defended well. With poor conditions the sides were struggling to pass and hold the ball in the backs who's tackling was again outstanding. Chard were awarded a penalty for offside which was sent over the bar for another 3 points. Coach Channing decided to give some of the players a change of position to get them involved and Craig Trice took his turn at Fly half and was rewarded with a try that was ably converted by Ben Salter under pressure. With only minutes to go Sidmouth were fired up once more and despite good possession could not score the winner. Man of the match was awarded to Ed Hewlett for his dominance in the pack and the team should be very proud of themselves for some great rugby. It's now all about the belief, quicker ball and the teamwork. The fitness and hard work in training is paying off. The squad were; Sam Jenkins, Ross Skinner, Ed Hewlett, Tom Smith, Matt Berry, Ryan Davies, Sam Tollerfield, Ben Rix, Tom Harris, Mike Boraston, Ben Salter, Dan Colson, Jake Brown, Craig Trice, Rob Cole, Rob Jackson. Marc Colson (Report ID No. 163) |
Dogged and gritty to the end (05/11/07)It was not Sidmouth’s day in this fixture in terms of the result but it was a day of some awesome rugby from both sides. From the start a much improved Sidmouth pack began with some excellent work and looked to dominate. The scrums were fought evenly but Exmouth dominated in the line outs and won all the loose ball. It was 10 minutes before half time when Exmouth went over the line despite Sidmouth’s forwards being dogged in their defence. Rob Jackson, Ben Rix and Sam Tollerfield were notable for their persistent driving and both Ryan Davies and Matt Berry used their strength well to hold off the short drives. There were excellent tackles from everyone on the field and Tom smith showed great determination in chasing everything down. Sam Jenkins was outstanding as prop and hooker Ross Skinner was as mischievous as ever. Both hookers were in conversation throughout the game - not always exchanging pleasantries and both were warned about their gamesmanship.Tom Harris and Mike Boraston linked well but the backs really needed to move the ball quicker as Exmouth were up on them with speed throughout the game. It was on the blind side that Sidmouth were showing more promise and Man of the Match Rob Cole was incessant in his attacks up the wing supported well by Matt Goss whose pace and agility is outstanding on the ball. The forwards driving was gritty in the second half but the pack needed to be closer to the man with the ball on occasions and consequently the ball was turned over too often. The game was sealed 5 minutes before the final whistle and Sidmouth knew that they had had their chances but had failed to capitalise. Although the backs had not seen much ball the defending was awesome. Dan Colson, and Ben Salter were quick to tackle and Jake Brown's confidence grew as the match went on. It was an entertaining game and the training and teamwork is really paying off. The result did not go in our favour but the first league win is just around the corner. Marc Colson (Report ID No. 162) |
