National Three

South West

Ivybridge 29,

Brixham 20

Ivybridge will look to keep up the pressure at the top of the table this weekend when they travel to 11th-placed Lydney.

Ivybridge went joint third in the table and took the bragging rights in a hard-fought south Devon derby last weekend and will be keen to keep up the momentum.

The opening ex­changes against Brixham saw the sides feeling each other out and most of the first 30 minutes followed the same pattern, before the Bridge exploded into life.

Around the half-hour mark a high tackle gave Ivy­bridge a penalty and a close range line-out, from which came the opening score.

With the Ivybridge maul approaching the try-line, the referee awarded a penalty try and the home side were seven points ahead once Billy Pinkus added the conversion.

Just minutes later the lead was increased as Ivybridge ran back out of defence, Brixham stopped the run but the ball went loose from the ruck to Ivy­bridge’s Ryan Dingle.

His chip ahead was touched down over the line despite the protestations of Brixham that their man had got there first.

Brixham got on the scoresheet with a penalty from Ben Lovell and as the first half drew to a close were edging closer to the Ivybridge line.

However, Ivybridge kept their discipline and great anticipation from Billy Pinkus saw him intercept a pass deep in his own 22 and run the ball back 70 metres for a try under the posts and a comfortable 21-3 half-time lead.

Brixham began the second period on the attack but good Ivybridge defence saw a chip charged down and another breakaway run to the line by Pinkus, who was having a field day.

Brixham enjoyed their best spell of the match next as they scored a converted try and a penalty in quick succession, closing the gap to 13 points

Ivybridge, however, hit straight back with a penalty for a Brixham scrummage offence and with 15 minutes remaining they led 29-13.

With five minutes remaining a run by Brixham prop Russ Morris broke the home defence, creating space for winger Rhys Williams to dive over. Lovell converted and the defi­cit was down to nine points.

Ivybridge, though, had done more than enough to win the match already and continue their excellent season.