The Quins continued their incredible winning start to the season as they chalked up their seventh straight win and returned to top of the Counties 3 league table after beating Exeter Engineers on another glorious day at the Blackmore.
Whilst the fact that Sidmouth won the game was not a huge surprise, the manner in which they dominated a game against a team who had scored nearly 200 points in their last 3 games was.
Playing up the hill in the first half Sidmouth started as they meant to go on dominating possession and territory through the boot of “Man of the Match” Jake Smith and some outstanding phase play.
The pressure soon took its toll on the visitor and as Sidmouth worked through the phases some neat handling worked the ball wide to Jake Allen who sliced through the covering defence to score the for the first try.
A second score was not far behind as Alfie Collins stole and Engineers lineout and Ollie Marsh put the visitors on the back foot with a powerful drive through the middle. Ryan Davies caught the opposition napping at the breakdown and charged into the 22. With the visitors defence in disarray Alex Clemo-Crosby whipped the ball away from the ruck and some neat handling from skipper Tom Butler and Jake Paget gave Sam Basnett the space to cut inside the final defender and double the lead.
The Engineers came back, making the most of their increasingly dominant scrum and showing glimpses of the pace they had in the back line. They set up position deep in the Sidmouth 22 but the home defence was relentless and when the visitors finally did manage to force their way over the line they were held up.
Sidmouth completed the scoring in the first half with another well worked try. Big carries from Ned Coles, Scott Henderson and Ollie Hansford-Harvey got the Quins to within 5 metres and there was no stopping Ollie Marsh from that distance and he bundled over. Jake Smith added the extras and the Quins took a 17-0 lead into the break.
The Engineers came out with much more purpose in the second half and there were no further scores for 20 minutes, but Sidmouth made good use of the slope of kept the visitors pinned back in their own half for long periods. Sidmouth rang the changes with Kyle Baker, Isaac Lidster, Charles Edwards and Harry Guy entered the fray, and as is now par for the course they only served to inject more impetus to the Quins efforts.
The bonus point try came on the hour as Smith punished a penalty on half way by putting the ball into touch 5m out, from the resulting lineout debutant hooker Harry Backwell had the simple task of dotting down the ball off the back of a dominant maul. Smith was on target with the conversion.
The Engineers came back strongly but yet again they were met with fierce defence, and it was from this pressure that Jack Hembrow intercepted the ball and kicked it fully 80 metres down the pitch coming to rest 5 metres from the Engineers line. Scott Henderson was first to react and with the help of Hansford-Harvey secured the ball. Backwell was first on the scene and didn’t waste his opportunity picking up and diving over for his 2nd try of the match, Smith again adding the extras to put the game beyond doubt.
There was still time for chances at both ends of the pitch and some huge carrying from Charlie Farrington-Smith who put in a huge 80 minute shift at loose-head and continues to improve week on week.
It was the Engineers who got the next and final score with a scrappy effort down the left wing as their replacement scrumhalf kicked through the broken Sidmouth defence and just about won the race to the ball.
There was still time for the visitors to push for a second try but even with the game and bonus point securely in the bag, Sidmouth refused to give up easy points and kept their line intact.
There is now a two week break for the Quins before they meet their next test with a home fixture against second placed Crediton on 16th November.
Sidmouth II: Charlie Farrington-Smith, Harry Backwell, Ned Coles, Alfie Collins, Tom Butler, Ollie Marsh (Kyle Baker), Jake Paget (Isaac Lidster), Ryan Davies, Alex Clemo-Crosby (Charles Edwards), Jake Smith, Sam Basnett (Harry Guy), Jack Hembrow, Scott Henderson, Ollie Hansford-Harvey, Jake Allen
Scorers: J Allen (T), S Basnett (T), O Marsh (T), H Backwell (2T); J Smith (3C)
Man of the Match: Jake Smith.
Whilst the fact that Sidmouth won the game was not a huge surprise, the manner in which they dominated a game against a team who had scored nearly 200 points in their last 3 games was.
Playing up the hill in the first half Sidmouth started as they meant to go on dominating possession and territory through the boot of “Man of the Match” Jake Smith and some outstanding phase play.
The pressure soon took its toll on the visitor and as Sidmouth worked through the phases some neat handling worked the ball wide to Jake Allen who sliced through the covering defence to score the for the first try.
A second score was not far behind as Alfie Collins stole and Engineers lineout and Ollie Marsh put the visitors on the back foot with a powerful drive through the middle. Ryan Davies caught the opposition napping at the breakdown and charged into the 22. With the visitors defence in disarray Alex Clemo-Crosby whipped the ball away from the ruck and some neat handling from skipper Tom Butler and Jake Paget gave Sam Basnett the space to cut inside the final defender and double the lead.
The Engineers came back, making the most of their increasingly dominant scrum and showing glimpses of the pace they had in the back line. They set up position deep in the Sidmouth 22 but the home defence was relentless and when the visitors finally did manage to force their way over the line they were held up.
Sidmouth completed the scoring in the first half with another well worked try. Big carries from Ned Coles, Scott Henderson and Ollie Hansford-Harvey got the Quins to within 5 metres and there was no stopping Ollie Marsh from that distance and he bundled over. Jake Smith added the extras and the Quins took a 17-0 lead into the break.
The Engineers came out with much more purpose in the second half and there were no further scores for 20 minutes, but Sidmouth made good use of the slope of kept the visitors pinned back in their own half for long periods. Sidmouth rang the changes with Kyle Baker, Isaac Lidster, Charles Edwards and Harry Guy entered the fray, and as is now par for the course they only served to inject more impetus to the Quins efforts.
The bonus point try came on the hour as Smith punished a penalty on half way by putting the ball into touch 5m out, from the resulting lineout debutant hooker Harry Backwell had the simple task of dotting down the ball off the back of a dominant maul. Smith was on target with the conversion.
The Engineers came back strongly but yet again they were met with fierce defence, and it was from this pressure that Jack Hembrow intercepted the ball and kicked it fully 80 metres down the pitch coming to rest 5 metres from the Engineers line. Scott Henderson was first to react and with the help of Hansford-Harvey secured the ball. Backwell was first on the scene and didn’t waste his opportunity picking up and diving over for his 2nd try of the match, Smith again adding the extras to put the game beyond doubt.
There was still time for chances at both ends of the pitch and some huge carrying from Charlie Farrington-Smith who put in a huge 80 minute shift at loose-head and continues to improve week on week.
It was the Engineers who got the next and final score with a scrappy effort down the left wing as their replacement scrumhalf kicked through the broken Sidmouth defence and just about won the race to the ball.
There was still time for the visitors to push for a second try but even with the game and bonus point securely in the bag, Sidmouth refused to give up easy points and kept their line intact.
There is now a two week break for the Quins before they meet their next test with a home fixture against second placed Crediton on 16th November.
Sidmouth II: Charlie Farrington-Smith, Harry Backwell, Ned Coles, Alfie Collins, Tom Butler, Ollie Marsh (Kyle Baker), Jake Paget (Isaac Lidster), Ryan Davies, Alex Clemo-Crosby (Charles Edwards), Jake Smith, Sam Basnett (Harry Guy), Jack Hembrow, Scott Henderson, Ollie Hansford-Harvey, Jake Allen
Scorers: J Allen (T), S Basnett (T), O Marsh (T), H Backwell (2T); J Smith (3C)
Man of the Match: Jake Smith.
