Junior rugby round-up – Ivybridge win Fisherman's Cup and Devon Plate double header

UNDER-16s

Ivybridge...53 Paignton...10

IVYBRIDGE emerged victorious in this Fisherman's Cup and Devon Plate double header.

Kyle Turner opened the scoring for the Bridgers, with Toby Evans adding a quick second try.

Sam Pelling then scored twice, with Matt Skeemer converting one, before Evans added a second to give his side a healthy half-time lead.

Evans claimed his hat-trick after the break before Callum Lloyd touched down.

Paignton got back into the game with two tries after some good pressure, but the home side re-grouped. Lloyd added another try with a mazy run before Evans added another. Skeemer converted both to put the match beyond Paignton.

UNDER-14s

Tavistock...62 Brixham...5

TAVISTOCK powered to victory in this match that was played as a 12-a-side, due to both teams suffering player unavailability.

In the howling wind and freezing conditions, Tavistock did not hang around and were quickly off the mark with some fast passing enabling Ben Milligan to score under the posts. George Hillson added the conversion.

A defensive lapse allowed big Ben Luke, guesting for Brixham, to charge over in the corner.

However, Hillson soon put Tavistock back on the front foot with a speedy chinking run to add their second try before Ben Milligan increased his already impressive seasons tally with a further two tries. Hillson added two conversions.

Tavistock added a fifth try before half-time courtesy of fly-half Ethan Lamerton.

In the second half, debutant George Murrain showed great skill in catching the ball from kick offs and in difficult weather conditions.

Hillson scored his second try, running in from the half way line.

Lamerton added his second before Luke, now back playing for the home side, added a pair of tries.

A cold morning's work was rounded off by the hard working Matt Birch, who sprinted up the touch line to score in the corner. Hillson added three more conversions in the second half.

Devonport Services ...47 Totnes... 7

DEVONPORT Services continued their recent run of good form with a comprehensive win over Totnes at Stonehouse Creek.

A fine team performance started right from the off with captain Liam Weir was charging down the wing to open the scoring.

Within minutes of the restart back-row forwards Weir, Tom Brooker and Adam White combined with some swift passing, off-loads for Weir to double their lead.

Totnes were struggling to deal with the pressure and it wasn't long before Weir again crashed over the line for his hat-trick and a 15-0 lead.

Services took their foot off the gas and allowed Totnes to capitalise on a lack of concentration that brought about a series of infringements and an eventual tap penalty near Devonport's line that opened the door to Totnes to score and convert for a more respectable 15-7.

This re-awakened Services and concentrated their minds.

From a line-out, Brooker collected the ball and sprinted to the line and stretched the lead to 20-7.

After the break fly-half Jamie Campbell kicked to the corner where the chasing Services attack tackled the last defender, collected the ball and scored. Weir made a try-saving tackle before Services added another try.

Then ever busy Jason Blake, constantly picking up scraps at every breakdown got his reward when he collected a loose ball and drove his way to the line for a great try.

The strong wind had made kicking the extras difficult all game but Campbell finally found the target with this kick to make the score 37-7.

Campbell then scored a great individual try of his own when he danced and stepped his way through a seemingly spellbound Totnes defence to make it 42-7.

And Services wrapped up the game with a final score just before the whistle to take the score to an impressive 40-point winning margin.

UNDER-12s

Plymstock Albion Oaks...59 Looe/Liskeard under 12s 7

OAKS claimed a convincing victory over visiting counterparts Liskeard-Looe.

Kai Harvey scored the first try for Oaks, who impressed at the scrums.

Luke Harrison produced an impressive run to score Oaks' second try. The third came from a scrum, with Harvey going over again.

The relentless Liskeard team hit back with a try with a quick run, but that was to be the visitors' only touchdown.

Harvey added his third try before half-time.

And the second half saw a fired up Oaks continue to dominate.

From a strong ruck the quick turn of pace by Kieran Wiles-Rourke sealed him a try.

Try number six for Oaks came from Luke Goldstone, who saw his space and run half the pitch.

With a skilled line-out pass by Ryan Whitehead, close to their opponents line, Oaks' seventh try came from the powerful force of Matthew Gilbery with a gritty team supportive play.

Then Oaks' Harvey Dunn used quick ball from a ruck to power through the defence to secure a try.

And with the last play of the game, Matthew Gilbery used his strength to force himself over the line.

The conversions were taken by Kai Harvey and Kieran Wiles-Rouke.

Kingsbridge...0 Ivybridge...21

FOLLOWING their defeat by Ivybridge at Cross-in-Hand a week earlier, Kingsbridge were keen to return the favour on their home territory.

But Ivybridge were up to the task in this hotly-contested local derby to claim another victory over their neighbours.

The first half produced some top-class rugby as well as handling errors from both sets of players.

To the teams' credit, though, there were some good attacks, but neither side was able to break through their opponents defence in the first half.

It took until five minutes into the second period before Ivybridge, as a result of spreading the ball out through the backs, managed to find a gap in the corner to score.

Fierce defence from Kingsbridge made the visitors work hard for a second score and the hosts made certain of keeping the Greens on their toes with concerted attacks of their own.

The final play of the fixture produced some of the most exciting, highly-charged minutes of the match.

Ivybridge threatened the Blues' line and possession changed hands several times.

But it was the Greens who were to have the final word of a fine encounter, in which both teams deserve much credit.

UNDER-10s

Devonport Services...25 OPMs...20

A STORMING first half display earned Services a tight victory over local rivals OPMs.

Services were 20-0 up at the break. Greg Fisilau got the first two touchdowns, then Wolaniec used a trademark dummy to by-pass the opposition and score a third before Richards intercepted an OPMs attack to score the last try of the half.

OPMs half-time team talk worked and they scored three tries to pull it back to 20-15.

But Services replied straight from the re-start as Goss powered through the OPMs' defence to make it 25-15.

OPMs scored another try but could not snatch the win.

Devonport Services...20 OPMs...0

SERVICES started the second game like the first but this time OPMs did not get the chance to come back in the second half as the match was ended early due to the cold weather.

Consequently, the teams ended up just playing one half and it was Services who scored all the tries.

Hemmings was first on the score after picking up a loose ball from a ruck and driving over the line.

Then Tompkins found space on the wing to double the score.

That was followed by a second try by Hemmings after Newman did well, before a pounce by Services player-of-the-match Niall Gill saw him score the last try of the day.

UNDER-SEVENS

Plymstock Albion Oaks...16 Liskeard/Looe...12 (score in tries)

PLYMSTOCK Albion Oaks came out on top in a competitive match were both defences struggled to tag on a bitterly cold morning.

Some direct running through the defence and accurate passing from both teams ensured a high scoring match.

Jaimie Fewings scored four first half tries for Oaks by supporting well.

And Oaks had the advantage going in to half-time 9-6 in front.

The second half was as frantic as the first.

Dan Brookes earned player of the match by scoring nine tries and George Partridge managed a hat-trick of tries.

The visitors troubled the Oaks defence throughout, but the Oaks managed to hold on for a 16-12 victory.

Plymstock Albion Oaks 12 Liskaerd-Looe...9

OAKS also held on to win the second match, which followed a similar pattern to the first.

In the opening half, Liskaerd-Looe matched Oaks try for try, both teams attacking from the start.

Caiden Whitfield had a strong run down the wing to cross the line. James Pullan and Finley Wright managed a hat-trick each.

It was only Oaks ability to capitalise on some loose ball in the second half that separated the teams come the final whistle.

Josh Hayman supported well and picked up a hat-trick of tries, while Josh Waters bagged a brace.

Liskaerd-Looe kept going until the end in bitterly cold condition but the home side sneaked through.

Ivybridge...37 Kingsbridge...35 (score in tries)

IVYBRIDGE and Kingsbridge played out a thrilling four period fixture in freezing conditions at Cross-in-Hand.

And at the day's meeting Ivybridge triumphed by two tries.

In such difficult conditions this was much a real team effort with no stand out individual performances.