Exeter University 44pts
Drybrook 17pts
This was a steep learning curve for the men in green as they started their first season in South West Premier. They travelled to Exeter with a number of regulars missing through injury and unavailability, but were full of confidence in the new look team, who though lacking in experience contained a number of talented young players.
The Topsham sports ground was bathed in sunshine and a large contingent of the student body had assembled to cheer on their team. I don’t know what they teach at University these days but it certainly isn’t etiquette or manners.
The start of the game was fairly even with the Drybrook scrum solid and both teams looking to run the ball at every opportunity.
It was maybe this endeavour that proved to be Drybrooks undoing as they got caught in their own half and the turnover ball led to the first Exeter try on ten minutes.
The game was being played at a frantic pace and in all honesty the speed and power of the home team was proving hard to combat and fifteen minutes later Exeter chipped over the desperate defence and won the race to touch down in the corner.
A penalty followed on thirty four minutes when Drybrook were caught offside in midfield which gave Exeter a thirteen point lead.
Maybe if the visitors could have held on to the break they would still have been in with a chance of salvaging the game. This however was not to be the case.
Drybrook were never afraid to play in the attacking style that has brought them so much success in recent seasons, but the speed off the line of the home defenders was making moving the ball across the line a difficult proposition. On thirty six minutes the home team scored their first interception try and followed this two minutes later when their prop intercepted on halfway and sped in to touch down between the uprights.
The conversion that followed brought an end to the first half and a somewhat shell shocked Drybrook team were glad of the chance to regroup and assess the situation.
If the first half had been a little one sided then the second was a much closer affair.
The young lads in Green never once dropped their heads and you could not fault the effort and commitment on display.
Four minutes in Drybrook got what they needed a well-deserved try by Tim Stevenson when he was on hand to finish off a series of good drives from the forwards. The conversion was kicked by James Clancy and Drybrook had their first points of the afternoon.
The students came back with a break-away try ten minutes later which they also converted to
make the game safe.
The Drybrook boys were now playing for pride and were rewarded when replacement hooker Guest barged over for his team’s second try on the sixty minute mark.
Exeter were a formidable outfit last year and they have obviously brought in new personnel to strengthen their team for this season. They scored two try’s in quick succession and with ten minutes left to play you would not have been surprised to see them add more.
Drybrook though showed great character to not only prevent them from scoring again, but by adding another try of their own through the tireless Sam Peaper.
With a couple of minutes left it seemed possible that Drybrook may be able to earn a bonus point with one more try but an indiscretion at the breakdown gave Exeter the opportunity to kick the ball dead and end the game.
We all know this is going to be a tough season but the commitment and effort put in by the Drybrook boys showed that there remains plenty to be optimistic about as we look forward to the home game next week against Exmouth.
Drive on Dry!
Drybrook: J Clancy, M Baldwin, D Price, B Large (Capt) L Roberts, T Stevenson, R Marsh, L Boon, A Stretch, M Hale, W Greenway, M Renton, S Peaper, K Frowen, D Fissedon, C Guest, B Watts, R Seville.
