CORNWALL & DEVON LEAGUE Sidmouth 43 Liskeard-Looe 17

A lax first 20 minutes by Liskeard-Looe laid the foundation for a comprehensive defeat at Sidmouth. A young and able Sidmouth side took the lead after five minutes with a try by winger Grant Crossman. He increased their lead soon after with another excellent try. In the next ten minutes, Sidmouth further extended this margin with a try by fly half Nick Gingell, who also converted another try by scrum half Steve Trim. Up to then, Sidmouth had the upper hand at all phases of the game. Their pack provided excellent precision at the set pieces and the loose allowing the outsides to show their speed and class. Liskeard-Looe on the other hand appeared to have left their minds on the bus and failed to show any aggression or incision. In the final 15 minutes of the first half, however, they suddenly woke up and not only prevented any prevented any further score, but began to look as if they might claw back some of the deficit. Nevertheless, at half time they trailed by 20 points with no reply. The new sense of purpose was carried into the second half and Liskeard-Looe started making inroads in terms of possession and territory. The reward came at the end of a good team sequence with winger Neil Spencer touching down a try on the wide right. As usual, Sidmouth replied within five minutes with a converted try. Liskeard-Looe were playing the better rugby. The line outs improved as did the scrums, and while their loose play was not perfect, they still got at least their share of the ball. This gave the threes their chance to shine and they put together some promising moves. Sidmouth scored next, though, when Jason Williams gathered an attempted kick for touch and tore down the wing for a try converted by Gingell. The visitors' improved concentration and work rate began to tell and they succeeded in turning pressure into points. First, full back Dave Herbert joined in the line to finish off nice movement with a try, and then Dan Goodman further reduced arrears with another excellent try, converted by Rob Vivian. However, Sidmouth had the final say when, in the closing minutes, Grant Crossman completed his hat trick. Once again Gingell converted. This was a hefty defeat for Liskeard-Looe, but they can take some positives from the game. It is vital they start games at the top of their concentration, without taking 20 minutes to switch on. And giving the opposition a 20 point lead is not good either. Sidmouth are sitting quite comfortably near the top of the Cornwall and Devon League, yet in the middle of the game, just before half time and for the greater part of the second half, Liskeard-Looe looked the better side. There is a gap between Cornwall One and Cornwall and Devon, but Liskeard-Looe are beginning to bridge it. With better concentration, application and a bit of luck, they are well-placed to attain a decent position in the new league.

Cornwall Cup First Round Callington 37 Voer 8

A DOMINANT side throughout the game, Callington were denied an early attempt for points as Voer scored a try and a penalty close to kick-off. But this did not dampen the Callington enthusiasm as they were able to gain a rung on the points ladder with a penalty by the swift boot of full back, Wayne Wormold, followed shortly by a try, bringing the score back to 8-8. This set the mood for the rest of the game, which was to prove as enjoyable to watch as it was to play for those concerned. The game was played at a fast pace, with a high standard of game play and discipline from both teams. The Callington scrum showed its dominance with a string of consistent drives, pushing the opposition off the ball and retaining control of the game. This gave Callington hooker Ryan Moon a chance to utilise the ball for quick play, maintaining a degree of fluidity in open play. On occasions when the drive was not engaged fully, the pack dug in and held fast. This provided the team with an early building block upon which to work for the rest of the game. With the pack gaining ground by rucking and mauling, the backs were left to run the ball in. This was seen when, from a penalty, the ball deflected off the near side post and was plucked from its attempted escape route by Tristan Moon for a try. James Harris scored a try, allowing Callington to build on their gains which had begun with the early penalty. Callington will be looking for success in the second round of the Cornwall Cup.