Services keep up their fine start to season

DEVONPORT Services defeated St Austell 50-25 on the Rectory to make it three from three and not a dropped point in sight at the top of South West One.

- CONNRAD SUTCLIFFE

St Austell led briefly early in the game thanks to a try from former Plymouth Albion back-rower Kyle Marriott, but by half time Services were 17-5 up.

St Austell just about stayed in touch until the final 10 minutes, but ran out of steam in the latter stages.

Kieran Leach, the Services' team manager, said playing to patterns was the key to beating St Austell.

"We stuck to what we are doing in training and it worked," said Leach."

"Our scrum went well, our lineout went well and when he has chances we executed them well.

"We did go to sleep for a time in the second half and St Austell came back from 31-5 down to 31-24. It was a reminder games can change pretty quickly if you take your foot off."

Tries from Harrison Coonick, a recruit from the University of Plymouth, and Tom Davies were converted by Kieran Down along with a penalty to put Services 17-5 up at the hr4k.

Coonie grabbed a second shortly after the restart on the of a long run over from half way.

And when Freddie Davies finished off a handling move that started from a line-out, Services looked home and dry at 31-5.

Services' were shaken by losing scrum-half Dan Goldstone to the sin bin. The former Taunton player also gave away a penalty try for a tackle offence.

Tries for St Austell from Cam Taylor and Konnor Ewudzi, both converted by Matt Shepherd, narrowed Services' lead to seven points.

Services finished the game on the front foot with tries in the final quarter from Matt Richards, Shaun Crawford and debutant Goldstone.

IVYBRIDGE have now gone three games without a win in South West One following a 24-18 home defeat by Matson.

A Matson had an identical record to Ivybridge going into the game - played two, lost two hopes were high in the home camp of pulling off a win.