Drybrook R.F.C. 17pts
Newton Abbot R.F.C. 13pts
In the murky mists of the Mannings, Drybrook faced Newton Abbot in a must win game for both teams, in what is becoming a battle royal for survival at this level.
Drybrook started the day one point ahead of Newton and one point behind Cleve and Bracknell, who they still have to play.
You could sense the air of tension, and with the players so intent on making sure they did not lose, any repeat of the high scoring extravaganza played out between these two earlier in the season was never in the offing.
Newton kicked off playing away from the clubhouse, the ball was taken by Renton, who fed inside for Greenway to make ground and set up Stevenson, who took play down to the visitors twenty-two with a powerful touch finder.
A promising move from the Drybrook backline nearly paid dividends but the final pass inside to Mitch Baldwin was adjudged forward.
Newton cleared the ball up into the Drybrook half and gained a penalty in front of the home teams posts. The outside half for Newton slotted the kick to put his team into the lead in the tenth minute.
Drybrook came back and applied the pressure. On twenty minutes Stevenson kicked a penalty to the visitors five metre line, unfortunately the jumper was missed and Newton cleared the danger. From the following passage of play Newton earned a shot at goal, but were unsuccessful with kick missing to the right of the posts.
Drybrook went close on the thirty-minute mark after good interplay by Baldwin and Large took play into the Newton twenty-two. The forwards drove for the line but just lost possession in front of the posts to allow the visitors to clear the danger.
Two minutes later Newton extended their lead after their forwards took play into the Drybrook half, to set up their number ten for a neat drop-goal.
Drybrook then produced a good passage of play
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to go close to scoring after a typical Greenway charge left Beatie the chance to bulldoze over.
Somehow Newton stole the ball, but play was brought back to the twenty-two where the visitors hooker had taken out Mitch Baldwin with a swinging arm earlier in the move.
Stevenson just missed the kick and the Newton number two was given the chance to take a ten-minute breather in the bin.
Drybrook attacked again when a good pass from Price put Joe Winfield clear. His pass to Baldwin coming back inside set up play just outside Newtons twenty-two, where the ref at last caught them offside.
Stevenson this time nailed the penalty to bring the half time score to six points to three in favour of the visitors.
Drybrook came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half. A mazy run into the visitors twenty-two by Winfield was taken on by Greenway, before Large went close from the recycled ball. Again, the Drybrook pack pressed forward where Greenway was on hand once more to crash through the defence for the first try of the game. Stevenson kicked the conversion and Dybrook were ten – six ahead.
An uncharacteristic error from the restart gave Newton the chance to go close but they blew the chance with a forward pass that went straight into touch.
Drybrook lost Mitch Bourne who had been having a fine game as he was injured in the build-up.
On sixty minutes Drybrook were forced into a reshuffle as they lost another of their back-row when Sam Peaper was forced from the field with a shoulder injury.
Mitch Hale came on in the uncustomary position of second row, Renton switched to eight and Howells, back from his antipodean adventure was at hooker.
Newton continued to press and it took some excellent defence to make sure they were unable to get the ball down over the line.
From the resulting scrum the makeshift Drybrook pack were put under pressure and the ref awarded a penalty try as the home side retreated before collapsing in front of their posts. With no conversion needed and over an hour played the visitors were back in front thirteen points to ten.
Back came Drybrook and a neat chip over the top from Moore put the visitors under pressure on their line. First Renton and Stevenson were stopped just short before the ball was shipped to Baldwin who powered over in the left-hand corner. A difficult conversion proved no problem for Stevenson and the home team were back in front by four points with ten minutes left on the clock.
Hearts were mouths as the last phases of play saw Newton throw the kitchen sink at Drybrook, but they could find no chink in the Green Armies armour. When Frowen turned the ball over at the end, and Drybrook kicked the ball dead, the final score of seventeen points to thirteen was a true reflection of the battle that had taken place.
Stand out performances by the likes of Greenway and Renton were backed up by the rest of team, with Frowen getting better every game, and the youngsters like Clancy, Seville, Stretch and Watts showing maturity beyond their years which all bolds well for the future of this team.
Who knows what the outcome will be at the end of the season, with hard games still to be played against the likes of Old Pats away next week, Cleve and Bracknell it’s still all in the melting pot.
All I can say is you will not find a braver or more committed side in the country!
Drive on Dry.
Drybrook Squad: WINFIELD, MOORE, PRICE, LARGE, BALDWIN, STEVENSON, CLANCY, BOURNE, FROWEN, PEAPER, RENTON, GREENWAY, SEVILLE, STRETCH, BEATIE, HALE, WATTS, HOWELLS.
