Saltash's final home League match of the
season in front of their watching sponsors could not stir up a victory against their North Devon visitors.
The home side started the stronger, with some solid driving play getting them into the scoring zone, and after ten minutes they were awarded a penalty as a Bideford player was adjudged to have stopped the ball coming out of a ruck.
Full-back Steve Down stepped forward to kick and
put his side in front at 3-0.
The lead was short-lived, however, as from the re-start Bideford full-back Chris Snell jinked and weaved his way through the home defence to score an unconverted try and put the Chiefs in front at
5-3 after 12 minutes.
The Ashes came back once more, and further pressure produced another penalty for Down to put the Ashes back in front at 6-5.
Bideford clawed their way back into the game, and in the 28th minute hit the front once more as they put Snell in for his second try.
The second period was somewhat attritional, and it was not until the 70th minute that Bideford added to their tally as a series of phases close to the Saltash line saw flanker Harvey Brown driven over for the try, converted by Snell for a 17-6 lead with just ten minutes left.
Further territory and possession for the visitors saw Snell kick two more penalties for a personal tally of 18 points.