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Search forServices shrug off loss to leaders Cullompton
Monday, November 17, 2008, 07:00
SERVICES are eager for another crack at the Western Counties leaders after digesting the plusses and minuses of this defeat.
Letting Cullompton go 19-0 up in the first half left Services too much to do in the second, especially with gaps in their side.
Services' team manager Dave Burgess hopes the gaps will be plugged for the rematch on the Saturday before Christmas when the two sides meet second time around.
"No one will be too worried about this result, as Cullompton are a good side who can be outstanding in the backs at times," said Burgess.
"We stopped them scoring for the first 25 minutes and matched them in the second half when we got a bit more shape to our game.
"It didn't help that we played without a recognised hooker and had Brian Crichton missing on the flank.
"It could easily have been a 40-pointer against us if we hadn't played as well as we did.
"Hopefully, we will have everyone back when we go up there and that will be something to look forward to."
Services went behind when stand-off James Hannaford was caught in possession near his own goal line and gave away a penalty. Cully shipped the ball wide to Lee Powell, who scored a try.
Prop Henry Weeks scored try number two when the forwards rolled on from a scrum near the home line.
Right on half time Cully got the ball among the backs and wing Paul Baker hared over. Two Ross Toms conversions completed the scoring.
Services struck first in the second half when Ben McGowan was released on the wing and scored in the corner.
There was no chance to the score until midway through the session when Services kicked possession away and were made to pay as Cully's Sam Harris finished off the run-back move with a try.
Ivybridge...17 Kingsbridge...7
IVYBRIDGE showed they can grind out a win when they want to with this derby victory over their second-placed rivals.
The Bridge have suffered from patchy form syndrome in recent matches, which has cost them ground in the promotion race.
This win moved Ivybridge into third place, just a point behind Kingsbridge and clear of Wadebridge on points difference. Having to play a man short for the last 10 minutes after skipper Darryl Clarke was sin-binned tested the Bridge, but they came through with flying colours.
Ivybridge player-coach Spenser Owen said more rugby was played than is customary in South Hams derbies, which suited his side perfectly.
"Both sides wanted to play rugby, rather than indulging in the niggly stuff that you get in some derby games," said Owen.
"Kingsbridge gave away loads of penalties early in the game and that allowed us to get in behind their defence and put them under pressure.
"In the second half we had the wind and the slope and kicked well to stop Kingsbridge coming at us.
"Kingsbridge battered us at the end after Darryl had gone off, but our discipline was good under pressure as we didn't give away the penalties that could have cost us the game."
Dave Lawson kicked Ivybridge ahead with an eighth-minute penalty.
Kingsbridge had their best spell in the game midway through the first half and went ahead when Greg Newman converted a Matt Hamilton try.
It stayed 7-3 to Kingsbridge until early in the second half when Ivybridge wing Liam Kimber scored from a blind-side move. A Lawson penalty and an Owen drop-goal put the game beyond the reach of Kingsbridge.
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