Bideford 23pts
Drybrook 20pts
Drybrook can count themselves extremely unlucky not to have come away with more than a losing bonus point after this exciting encounter in North Devon.
The game started in a torrential down pour and after some early home pressure Drybrook began to take control.
After 8 minutes sustained Drybrook pressure led to skipper Ben Large putting in a very astute cross kick for winger Mitch Baldwin to latch onto for the opening try.
Tom Treherne converted and Drybrook remained on top but twice knocked- on which halted some promising attacks.
With 20 minutes gone Drybrook flanker Sam Peaper almost got through but his strong run was halted under the posts and Bideford survived. Minutes later though the home side conceded a penalty and Teherne put his side 10pts – nil ahead.
A well executed driving maul took play back up to the home line and in the ensuing panic another penalty was conceded which led to a yellow card for Bideford and an easy kick for Treherne.
At 13pts – nil up and facing fourteen men Drybrook should have remained in control but Bideford hit back with their best spell of the half.
Despite missing a penalty kick Bideford continued to press, and it was Drybrook’s turn to hang on.
They managed to defend a driving maul in the corner but leaked a simple try when they were caught asleep with a quickly taken tap penalty that led to a try for the home side.
Half Time;
Bideford Chiefs 5pts
Drybrook 13pts
A poor start to the second half led to Bideford pressing hard for a score and Treherne was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on.
The home side kicked to the corner where a series of catch and drive line outs eventually led to a second try.
It got worse for Drybrook just after when hooker Ashley Howells left the field with a broken thumb forcing the visitors to reorganize.
The penalty count started to mount against Drybrook and as a result Bideford began to grow in confidence.
Drybrook could seemingly do little right in the eyes of the referee and from one such harsh decision Bideford drew level with a simple kick in front of the posts.
It seemed inevitable that Drybrook would lose a man to the bin as the penalties continued to be mount up and it was not long before Mitch Bourne was shown a yellow card.
Against the odds Drybrook refused to buckle but they could do very little to prevent Bideford’s third try.
A further penalty was awarded, this time on half way, and Bideford took it quickly and some slick inter passing led to a score mid way out.
The successful conversion seemed to spell the end for Drybrook but they came storming back with a try when replacement winger Anthony Okpaloafe forced his way through a tight defensive wall.
Treherne’s conversion brought the score to within 3 points and following this Drybrook took control again.
In a frantic finale Bideford just held out but Drybrook had the chance to draw level with a fairly straight forward penalty. Unfortunately Treherne’s kick bounced back off the upright but Drybrook quickly regained possession and laid siege to the home line.
Drybrook looked to have sneaked it when Okpaloafe crashed over again through a pile of players but the referee saw it differently and signaled for held up in goal.
Seconds later the final whistle came with no injury time allowed for Drybrook to try and rescue it.
Drybrook XV: Tom Treherne, Ben George, Joe Margretts, Harry Howard, Mitch Baldwin, Ben Large(capt), Jack Combes, Mitch Hale, Ashley Howells, Alex Wolfe, Will Greenway, Glenn Nott, Sam Peaper, Danny Price, Mitch Bourne.
Replacements: Lee Nightingill, Anthony Okpaloafe, Leonard Mulhane.
Drybrook United 22pts
Cinderford Stags 27pts
Drybrook United looked to start the campaign in a new league on a positive note against a strong looking Cinderford Stags outfit.
Drybrook had been building up to this fixture, the weather was good and the pitch was immaculate but somehow they let a healthy lead slip and were beaten by a last ditch score.
The importance of this match for both teams was evident from the start but poor discipline at the break down gave Cinderford’s Danny Trigg an early penalty chance which he slotted with ease. Off side from a break down then got Drybrook a penalty which skipper Andy Milner converted to level the scores
The match was open with some good moves being put together by both teams but with 20 minutes gone some great play by the the Drybrook backs and some fine individual skill from Rhys Evans led to the first try of the match which Milner converted.
From a scrum just past the half way line, Drybrook then managed to put several quick phases together. Scrum half Gareth Holdworth spotted a gap at the side of the ruck which left him on a one on one with the fullback and he crossed for Drybrook’s second try to give them a healthy 17pts -3pts lead.
Drybrook carried on taking the game to Cinderford but the line out continued to be a source of frustration for them. Fortunately more good build up play led to Rhys Gardner receiving the ball and he was able to show a clean pair of heels to the visiting defence for touch down number three.
Half time;
Drybrook United 22pts
Cinderford Stags 3pts
Once the second half was underway the Drybrook team went to sleep, allowing Cinderford to gain conference and start to dictate.
Drybrook then made a few changes with Nathan Tucker, Steve Virgo and Nick Lewis all coming on. Continued infringements kept Cinderford on the front foot and allowed them to open their try scoring account.
The Stags really started to turn the screw after this and Drybrook lost second row Marcus Cowles to the bin for a team infringement.
Playing with 14 men Drybrook started to take a backward step and conceded a try from a rolling maul following a penalty kick to the corner.
Drybrook continued to try and play their game but now Cinderford remained in control and another yellow resulted in Steve Virgo spending time in the bin and a penalty try being awarded to level the scores at 22pts all.
With the last play of the game Drybrook were awarded a penalty on the half way line and skipper Milner stepped up to try and win the match for his team. However the ball rebounded off the cross bar and Cinderford were then able to capitalise on an overlap out wide with Nathan Green chipping through to outpace the Drybrook cover to steal the game for Cinderford.
This was a very disappointing second half performance from Drybrook given their dominance in the first period. They must learn from this as they travel to Old Centralians next week.
Drybrook United XV: 1.Craig Boughton 2.Dean Jelf 3.Connor Auker-Howlett 4.Marcus Cowles 5.Jon Pritchard 6.Jack Whiting 7.Connor Hale 8.Joe James 9.Gareth Holdsworth 10. ndrew Milner 11.Jack Freeman 12.Simon Rugman 13.Rhys Evans 14.Luke Roberts 15.Rhys Gardner
Replacements: Steve Virgo, Nick Lewis , Nathan Tucker
Drybrook Extras 14pts
Old Cryptian 3rds 50pts
The Extras first league game of the season began with a humiliating set back on Saturday when they took on a strong old Cryptians XV at home.
Crypts won the toss and elected to play downhill first half and within five minutes scored their first try.
However no further score came until 22 minutes into the first half when a catch and drive maul five metres from the Crypt line saw skipper James Smith drop over the whitewash for a well-earned forwards try.
Jimmy Ryder slotted the extras, clipping the post to give Drybrook the lead 7pts – 5pts.
Just moments later Crypts took advantage of a few missed tackles to cross the Drybrook line taking them into a lead they kept until half time.
Half Time:
Drybrook Extras 7pts
Old Cryptian 3rds 12pts
Crypts made a few changes at the interval and quickly established the upper hand, running in four converted tries within 20 minutes.
Drybrook’s defence was in tatters at this stage but they finally answered back through flanker Matthew Freeman with a try straight through the Crypts defensive back line from 20 metres out.
Once again Ryder converted to take the score to 14pts -38pts but a further two tries from the visitors exposed the frailty of the home tackling with the exception of man of the match Will Bailey.
Drybrook will need to regroup quickly after this mauling if they are to make a realistic impact in the league this season.
Drybrook Extras XV; James Smith(Captain), Iain Murphy, Craig Lancett, Steve Turley, Mitch Williams, Nik Wakeman, Matthew Freeman, Ben Warren, Christopher Rawlings, James Ryder, Sam Grant, Jack Davies, Tony Paull, Adam Colwell, Quinten Partridge,
Replacements; Billy Head, Ian Rawlings, Nigel Kear, Neil Rickets, James Colwell, Jason Jones, Dean Morris, Clive Boughton, Jimmy Smith.
Bideford 23pts
Drybrook Extras 14pts