Services remain on course for a semi-final place

DEVONPORT Services stayed on course for the last four of the Devon Senior Cup by beating Ivybridge 41-28 in their second pool game.

- CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

Services are two from two in the four-match group and top of Pool D. A win over Brixham this Saturday should guarantee a spot in the knockout stages with a game to spare.

Ivybridge shot into an early 10-point lead in a game that had all the ingredients cup rugby thrives on: end-to-end-action, the lead changing hands repeatedly and a tense finish as Ivybridge battered away at Services' line.

Kieran Leach, the Devonport Services team manager, said: "Anybody walking in off the street to watch would have seen a great derby cup tie.

"Ivybridge came flying out of the blocks in the first half, we came from behind to lead for a while and they were ahead by a point at half time.

"The second half was tit-for-tat until the last 10-12 minutes when we went 34-28 up.

"Ivybridge threw everything at us to get it back again and it needed some big defence from us to keep them out.

"Having cut down their big guys when it mattered we went up to the other end and Luke Stannard's try with a couple of minutes left closed out the game."

Jamie Tripcony, the Ivybridge playing chief, said getting off to such a good start may have been a mixed blessing.

We started really well and scored a good try, but from that moment on we played a little too much at times and went away from our structure," said Tripcony.

"I think Services had a few players missing, but they still kept to their systems and dug out a win.