Exeter Engineers 45-20 Sidmouth II (HT – 28-10)
It was back to earth with a bump for a much changed Quins side on the weekend as they were outplayed by a very good Exeter Engineers side, to leave their championship dreams out of their hands.
Playing at Bicton College due to Engineers usual home ground being waterlogged and having a squad showing 8 changes from last weeks rout against Newton Abbot, Sidmouth started sluggishly and found themselves 14-0 down within 6 minutes as the youthful exuberance of the Engineers saw them stroll in for two easy scores.
Sidmouth looked shell-shocked and whilst they managed to organise themselves more effectively defensively in the next 10 minutes a neat chip over the top from the Engineers scrum half caught them napping and they found themselves 21-0 down before the match had reached 15 minutes.
Confidence drained even the Sidmouth scrum which has been almost immoveable this season was starting to creak as the Engineers piled on the pressure through their athletic forwards and speedy backs, the students back row was particularly impressive on both side of the ball and were causing all sorts of problems for Sidmouth with scrum half Harvey being made to work incredibly hard to salvage any scraps from the back of retreating scrums and rucks.
Finally as the game entered the second quarter Sidmouth started to put some phases together and enjoy some possession. In their eagerness to compete the Engineers started to leak penalties and James Docherty was able to kick his side into some attacking positions. The lineout was functioning well with Harry Backway hitting his marks and the pack achieving some success in the rolling maul, although never quite getting enough momentum to cross the whitewash.
After a run of chances Docherty finally took a kick at goal and reduced the arrears by 3 points. A good defensive set from Sidmouth sparked by some good hits from Olly Marsh, Jack Hembrow and Rabbie Hansford saw yet another transgression from the Engineers and having been on a final warning they were reduced to 14 for 10 minutes. Sidmouth then put together their best spell of the half as they made good ground through backs and forwards to set up a lineout 5m from the Engineers line. Marsh broke off the back of the line and as held up just short, but a couple of phases later prop Ned Coles claimed his first senior try with an explosive burst from short range.
Whilst Sidmouth were starting to show some control there was always the fear that the Engineers had it in them to strike from range at any time. And so it cam to pass as first a sliced crossfield kick claimed by Mark Bishop only for two on rushing Engineers players to clatter him into touch. From the resulting lineout a nicely worked moved from the Students saw them cross for their bonus point try and take a 28-10 lead into the break.
In attempt to redress the balance Sidmouth emptied the bench at half time with Charlie Farrington-Smith, Luke Knight, Kyle Baker, James Salter and Ian Lund-Jones entering the fray for Chris Otway, Backway, Alfie Collins, Bishop and Dan Prettejohn. There was definitely a lift provided by the reinforcements as Sidmouth played with much more control in the second half and the scrum got itself back on an even keel.
The home side were first to score though to extend their lead to 25 points and effectively put the game to bed. However, from here the Quins steadied their resolve and fought back to score two neat tries the first from Knight who powered over from short range after a break from Hembrow got Sidmouth behind the gain line, and then Lund-Jones scored after another good move from the Quins brought them to within a metre of the line where an attempted inside pass from Knight found an Engineers player on the floor who tried to pop it to a team mate only for Lund-Jones to snaffle it and dot down.
That was as good as it got for Sidmouth as the students ran in two more tries to record a deserved victory. Although it was a chastening day out for the Quins, and one which may be fatal to their title aspirations, it was a real indication of how the club has developed in the last couple of years. Even missing a dozen players from a squad dominated by last years Devon Cup winning Colts team, the seconds were able to call on Bishop, Prettejohn, Knight, Salter and Lund-Jones from the ever expanding and strengthening Vets squad to field a competitive team that would just not have been the case in years gone by. The club’s model of sustainability by not only producing outstanding young talent but also making a real effort to keep players in their 30’s 40’s and beyond engaged and active in rugby it a real success story and long may it continue.
The Quins visit Collumpton next weekend in the Devon 2nd XV Cup quarter final and will be looking to bounce back to give themselves a shot at a semi-final in March. The next league action comes at the Blackmore on 15th February when Sidmouth will look to avenge their 10-0 defeat away from when New Cross come to visit.
Sidmouth II: Ned Coles, Harry Backway (Luke Knight), Chris Otway (Charlie Farrington-Smith), Alfie Collins (Kyle Baker), Tom Butler, Henry Williams, Jake Paget, Olly Marsh, Harvey Green, James Docherty, Rabbie Hansford, Jack Hembrow, James Ogley, Dan Prettejohn (Ian Lund-Jones), Mark Bishop (James Salter)
Scorers: N Coles (T), L Knight (T), I Lund-Jones (T), J Docherty (P, C) M
Dukes Man of the Match: Olly Marsh
It was back to earth with a bump for a much changed Quins side on the weekend as they were outplayed by a very good Exeter Engineers side, to leave their championship dreams out of their hands.
Playing at Bicton College due to Engineers usual home ground being waterlogged and having a squad showing 8 changes from last weeks rout against Newton Abbot, Sidmouth started sluggishly and found themselves 14-0 down within 6 minutes as the youthful exuberance of the Engineers saw them stroll in for two easy scores.
Sidmouth looked shell-shocked and whilst they managed to organise themselves more effectively defensively in the next 10 minutes a neat chip over the top from the Engineers scrum half caught them napping and they found themselves 21-0 down before the match had reached 15 minutes.
Confidence drained even the Sidmouth scrum which has been almost immoveable this season was starting to creak as the Engineers piled on the pressure through their athletic forwards and speedy backs, the students back row was particularly impressive on both side of the ball and were causing all sorts of problems for Sidmouth with scrum half Harvey being made to work incredibly hard to salvage any scraps from the back of retreating scrums and rucks.
Finally as the game entered the second quarter Sidmouth started to put some phases together and enjoy some possession. In their eagerness to compete the Engineers started to leak penalties and James Docherty was able to kick his side into some attacking positions. The lineout was functioning well with Harry Backway hitting his marks and the pack achieving some success in the rolling maul, although never quite getting enough momentum to cross the whitewash.
After a run of chances Docherty finally took a kick at goal and reduced the arrears by 3 points. A good defensive set from Sidmouth sparked by some good hits from Olly Marsh, Jack Hembrow and Rabbie Hansford saw yet another transgression from the Engineers and having been on a final warning they were reduced to 14 for 10 minutes. Sidmouth then put together their best spell of the half as they made good ground through backs and forwards to set up a lineout 5m from the Engineers line. Marsh broke off the back of the line and as held up just short, but a couple of phases later prop Ned Coles claimed his first senior try with an explosive burst from short range.
Whilst Sidmouth were starting to show some control there was always the fear that the Engineers had it in them to strike from range at any time. And so it cam to pass as first a sliced crossfield kick claimed by Mark Bishop only for two on rushing Engineers players to clatter him into touch. From the resulting lineout a nicely worked moved from the Students saw them cross for their bonus point try and take a 28-10 lead into the break.
In attempt to redress the balance Sidmouth emptied the bench at half time with Charlie Farrington-Smith, Luke Knight, Kyle Baker, James Salter and Ian Lund-Jones entering the fray for Chris Otway, Backway, Alfie Collins, Bishop and Dan Prettejohn. There was definitely a lift provided by the reinforcements as Sidmouth played with much more control in the second half and the scrum got itself back on an even keel.
The home side were first to score though to extend their lead to 25 points and effectively put the game to bed. However, from here the Quins steadied their resolve and fought back to score two neat tries the first from Knight who powered over from short range after a break from Hembrow got Sidmouth behind the gain line, and then Lund-Jones scored after another good move from the Quins brought them to within a metre of the line where an attempted inside pass from Knight found an Engineers player on the floor who tried to pop it to a team mate only for Lund-Jones to snaffle it and dot down.
That was as good as it got for Sidmouth as the students ran in two more tries to record a deserved victory. Although it was a chastening day out for the Quins, and one which may be fatal to their title aspirations, it was a real indication of how the club has developed in the last couple of years. Even missing a dozen players from a squad dominated by last years Devon Cup winning Colts team, the seconds were able to call on Bishop, Prettejohn, Knight, Salter and Lund-Jones from the ever expanding and strengthening Vets squad to field a competitive team that would just not have been the case in years gone by. The club’s model of sustainability by not only producing outstanding young talent but also making a real effort to keep players in their 30’s 40’s and beyond engaged and active in rugby it a real success story and long may it continue.
The Quins visit Collumpton next weekend in the Devon 2nd XV Cup quarter final and will be looking to bounce back to give themselves a shot at a semi-final in March. The next league action comes at the Blackmore on 15th February when Sidmouth will look to avenge their 10-0 defeat away from when New Cross come to visit.
Sidmouth II: Ned Coles, Harry Backway (Luke Knight), Chris Otway (Charlie Farrington-Smith), Alfie Collins (Kyle Baker), Tom Butler, Henry Williams, Jake Paget, Olly Marsh, Harvey Green, James Docherty, Rabbie Hansford, Jack Hembrow, James Ogley, Dan Prettejohn (Ian Lund-Jones), Mark Bishop (James Salter)
Scorers: N Coles (T), L Knight (T), I Lund-Jones (T), J Docherty (P, C) M
Dukes Man of the Match: Olly Marsh
