COUNTIES 3 TRIBUTE DEVON SOUTH & WEST

SALCOMBE 37 TORQUAY 2nd XV 17

FOLLOWING their dramatic win away at league leaders Brixham last week, Salcombe RFC looked to follow that up with a convincing performance at home against a side only two places below them and in a fixture that traditionally has always been close.

Storm Darragh caused a pitch inspection at 9.30 and in lieu of Salcombe's iconic stand of trees, it was agreed to let the match go ahead.

The wind had a huge influence on the game and Salcombe chose to play with it in the first half and following consistent early pressure, they got their reward with two tries. Both came from the Crabs' muscular back row barging their way over, one from James Lake and the other from Kieron Clarke. Lee Clarke converted one to bring up 12-0.

At this point, Torquay recovered and after some incisive running by their backs, they discovered a weakness on Salcombe's right flank and scampered over for an unconverted try. Clearly deciding that this was a good ploy within a couple of minutes they did exactly the same, again unconverted, to make the score 12-10.

Salcombe rallied and their reward was a try from the third member of Salcombe's back row, Toby Woods, who wriggled his way over from a good Crabs' drive.

This and a penalty well taken by Lee Clarke gave Salcombe a little breathing space with the score at 20-10. Salcombe then scored again through Woods, converted by Lee Clarke, and at halftime the tally was 27-10.

Facing the wind, the Crabs knew they had to keep the game tight and although outweighed in the pack, they were ferocious in the tackle area winning a number of turnovers. Torquay however, used the wind well and set up a position from which their speedy wing ran 60 metres or more for a superb individual try under the posts which they converted to make the score 27-17.

Salcombe then tried to use a kicking game to win territory but in the wind, this proved fruitless and a better ploy would have been to run it and go through the phases.

Eventually, the penny dropped and rewarded Salcombe with two further tries, neither converted, with a second for Lake and an amazing one from Will Grant coming off the bench in his first appearance after long-term injury problems.

Playing in the pack, he took the ball on the wing, who knows what he was doing there, and from 25 metres out jinked his way over for the most spectacular of Salcombe's scores and bringing the final total to 37-17.

The next two weeks will be interesting for Salcombe with games against the current top two teams in the league - Ivybridge 2s away and Old Techs at home on 21 December, ko 2.30. Both these teams beat Salcombe comfortably early in the season and it will be a measure of how all three sides have developed since.