Tribute Western Counties West

Cullompton 8,

Kingsbridge 41

KINGSBRIDGE travelled to seventh placed Cullompton on Satur­day, where they continued where they left off the previous weekend.

This was definitely a potential banana skin for the Blue and Whites, who were looking to extend their 15-point lead at the top of the WCW table.

However, having scored 15 tries in their two matches over the Easter weekend, Kings­bridge went on to score a further seven in this encounter and now stand on the brink of the title, with only second-placed Okehamp­ton able to catch them in the games remaining.

The hosts, playing with the strong wind in the first half, started off strongly and took the lead on six minutes as Kingsbridge were caught offside. They successfully slotted the penalty to give them a 3-0 lead.

Back came Kings­bridge, straight from the restart, and pushed the hosts back down field.

A period of pressure saw them give away a penalty which Kings­bridge put into the corner. The line-out was successfully won and the ball moved out to the backs, where ‘stand-in’ centre Matt Hamil­ton forced his way over near the posts for the first try. Fly-half Ben Newman converted for a 3-7 lead.

Five minutes later and the hosts were back in front as Kingsbridge failed to deal with an attack within their 22. Two tackles were mis­sed, allowing the home team’s strong-running centre to touch down with ease to make the score 8-7.

Kingsbridge looked as if they would retake the lead on 30 minutes as the hosts knocked on in the visitors’ half, where Kingsbridge used the advantage through winger Alex Allen and full-back George Banfield to break away downfield. However, Banfield was hauled down short of the line and unable to find support.

On the stroke of half time a series of penalties was awarded to Kingsbridge in the Cullompton 22 and the visitors went for the line-out, but the catch and drive was deemed held up over the line.

However, the ensuing scrum saw number eight Jack Cope release the ball to scrum-half James Trout, who squeezed his way over the line from close range to see Kings­bridge take a 12-8 lead into the interval.

In the second half and with the wind at their backs, Kings were able to exert more pressure on the Cullompton defence.

A line-out five metres from the hosts’ line, saw the Kings­bridge forwards take the home pack back over their own line with prop Buster James gaining the touchdown. The Newman conversion hit the upright but Kingsbridge now led 8-17.

An almost identical situation five minutes later saw Kingsbridge catch and drive again – this time from further out – but with the same result and the same scorer as James again bagged the try. This time it was Banfield’s kick that hit the upright but Kingsbridge had the bonus-point score and led 8-22.

Straight from the restart and Kingsbridge were on the score sheet again as they enjoyed their strongest period of the match, with both forwards and backs combining to stretch the hosts left and right and scoring tries almost at will.

From the kick off the ball was fielded by Banfield senior, who then rounded off the move following breaks by winger Allen and centre Ben Glover. Score 8-27.

Another break only five minutes later saw fly-half Newman pop a neat inside pass for winger Allen to show his pace from 30 yards and touch down for the visitors’ sixth try. Banfield converted to increase the lead to 8-34.

The final try came following forward pressure on the left, which set up perfect ball for the backs to move neatly along the line and for Glover to give the perfect pass for ‘stand-in’ winger Ali Hamilton to show his pace in rounding the Cullomp­ton defence and the posts for a try.

Banfield converted again to complete the scoring and a thoroughly professional performance.

This weekend sees Kingsbridge return to league action at High House for the visit of Devonport, with kick-off at 3pm. The game has been very kindly sponsored by Jewsons.

The A XV travel to face New Cross while the Colts XV have no match.