Tribute

Western Counties West

The result was a foregone conclusion, it seemed.

Kingsbridge’s first game of the season was away to newly promoted Saltash, a side who only been beaten twice on their way into the Western Counties league.

Kingsbridge were without eight or nine players who would have been expected to be in the starting lineup. There was even a mischievous email suggesting that the game should be postponed in the interests of Kings­bridge.

The 18 players who made up the squad for Saturday’s fixture had other ideas.

They turned in one the most heartwarming and gutsy performance by a Kingsbridge side on the road for many a year.

Well led by stand-in skipper Billy Burner, the Blues and Whites chased and harried Saltash all afternoon. They rattled the home side with some great tackling, full-back George Eynon-Lewis’s try saving one in the second half being the pick.

The Blues and Whites started and Saltash soon knew they were not there just to make up the numbers.

The home side, though, were first on the score board with a penalty. Kingsbridge were soon on level terms when George Banfield slotted a penalty given for Saltash back chatting the referee.

The home side were soon back in front again, with their full-back converting another penalty for 6-3.

Kingsbridge then started to use the wind and slope and a great kick by Ben Newman found touch just yards from the Saltash line. From the line-out a series of mauls led to lock Matt Allen going over. Banfield’s conversion gave Kingsbridge a 10-6 lead.

Things got even better for the Blues and Whites as Saltash’s indiscipline started to cost them territory and following some great handling George Ey­non-Lewis cut through the defence to touch down. George Ban­field was again successful.

Kings then slackened off, which allowed Saltash to score an unconverted try to make it 17-11 at half time.

The second half was always going to be much tougher.

With the wind and slope in their favour the home side threw everything at Kingsbridge but this young, with the exception of a veteran substitute, side just kept tackling and didn’t let Saltash settle.

Kingsbridge did have the occasional foray into the opposition half and from one of these incursions George Banfield slotted another penalty, making it 20-11.

Saltash kept pressing and it was only heroic tackling that kept them out. They did finally manage a further pen­alty for 20-14 but in the end Kingsbridge de­served their victory.

A wonderful display from a team who, with several youngsters making their first but not their last appearances for the club, demonstrated the strength in depth Kingsbridge has.

This week’s selection meeting should be very interesting...

This Saturday sees the 1st XV return to High House for their first home match of the new league campaign.

The Blue and Whites will entertain St Aus­tell, who were relegated down into the WCW league at the end of last season. Kick-off will be at 3pm.

Kingsbridge A XV travel to visit near-neighbours Dartmouth while the Colts are scheduled to meet Devonport on the Longfield Pitch in their first Merit Table game of the season, with kick-off at 2.30pm.