BUDE'S miserable February came to a fitting end last Saturday, as they suffered their third successive 50 point thrashing at the hands of a young and vibrant Devonport Services side at the Rectory Field, writes Paul Cottle.

This defeat, coupled with relegation rivals Tiverton's 17-15 victory over Burnham on Sea, has pushed the Seasiders into the bottom two for the first time this season and with Newquay Hornets already all but doomed to the Cornwall & Devon League next term, things are looking bleak for North Cornish rugby.

The next two weeks appear pivotal for Bude, with fellow strugglers Tavistock the visitors to Bencoolen Meadow this Saturday, followed by a tough away trip to Tiverton.

If they cannot pick up at least one win from those matches, preferably with a couple of bonus points thrown in for good measure, the game appears up for the Seasiders and perhaps a spell in the two counties league might be just what the doctor ordered to rekindle some confidence in the camp.

During the first period there was no sign of the carnage to come, as Services held a slim three point lead at the break.

However, from then onwards it was virtually one way traffic, as the rampant hosts ran in a half dozen unanswered tries and Bude were left doing little more than chasing shadows.

On a sticky glue pot of a pitch, made barely playable by heavy overnight rain, Devonport opened the scoring on two minutes when Bude were caught offside at a ruck near their own 22 metre line and fly half Mark Symes slotted his penalty kick with ease.

Three minutes later, the home side went further in front, when, following a slashing break by centre Kyle Ranscombe, right wing Matt Morrison went over wide out before closing on the posts to make Symes' conversion attempt simpler.

The Seasiders responded with a spell of spirited play and following a lineout some 20 metres out, driven on by their pack, the ball was quickly moved to the blindside and right wing Harry Goodrum crossed for a well worked try. Full back Dan Pearce added the extras to reduce the deficit to three points.

Shortly before the half hour mark, Services stole the ball at a lineout deep in the visitors' territory and good hands from his half backs put left wing Joe Page in at the corner.

However, for the final ten minutes of the half it was all Bude, as, first, their pack drove a trademark maul to the line, only to be held up and then lost the ball in contact from the ensuing five metre scrum.

Then, with time rapidly running out, the visitors broke from deep, with second row Matt Williams and flanker Dave Uglow making good ground up the middle, before the ball was quickly recycled and fly half Andy Yates scored an excellent try to the right of the uprights.

At the break the game was in the balance and the next score was likely to prove crucial. Could Bude continue their good work of the closing stages of the first half, or would Devonport turn the tide?

Sadly, for the visitors, it was the latter and on 43 minutes, following a lineout and a well organised forward drive, the ball was quickly released and centre Matt Gregory crossed the line wide out on the right.

Within three minutes, Gregory was again in the thick of the action, putting left wing Page in for his second try of the afternoon, with Symes adding the extras and what had been a three point deficit at the break had quickly been stretched to 15 and Services were all but out of sight.

Further tries on 51 minutes from loosehead prop Pete Farrow and on the hour mark from debutant Barney Frost, converted by Symes, broke Bude's resistance and the final quarter simply rubbed salt in their gaping wounds.

First, centre Ranscombe rounded off an excellent move and shortly before the final whistle replacement left wing Phil Wilson was put in the clear in his own 22, following a missed pass and he raced clear for Symes to bring up the half century with a successful conversion attempt.

Scorers:

Devonport Services: Joe Page (2), Matt Morrison, Matt Gregory, Pete Farrow, Barney Frost, Kyle Ranscombe, Phil Wilson (Tries), Mark Symes (4 Conversions and Penalty goal).

Bude: Harry Goodrum, Andy Yates (Tries), Dan Pearce (Conversion).

Bude: Dan Pearce, Harry Goodrum, Paul Williams, Darren Jasper, Ollie Mounce (Thabo Mitchell), Andy Yates, Steve Yates, Jason Bolt, Paul Cholwill, Chris Allin, Matt Williams (Mark Parsons), Luke Dunkin, Will Kingdon (Capt), Dave Uglow and Joe Wilson (Adam Williams).

Referee: Mr Chris Thomas (Gloucestershire RRS).