TWO late tries provided scant consolation for a distinctly off colour Bude side as they were soundly beaten by Devonport Services in a re-arranged league fixture at Bencoolen Meadow last Saturday, writes Paul Cottle.

This match was originally scheduled for the last Saturday before Christmas, but due to an icy pitch, the game was called off shortly before kick off time. At that stage of the season Services looked virtual relegation certainties, but since then their fortunes have swung dramatically upwards and three successive victories, two of them on the road, in the latter half of February has set them well on the road to safety and mid-table respectability by the term's end.

For the young, inexperienced, Seasiders side, it was a bitter pill to swallow, especially after the heroics of the previous week, when their late rally saw them garner both points against high flying Penryn.

However, if there was one lesson they must take from this defeat it is to claim any straightforward points on offer, rather than allowing themselves to be seduced by the possibility of seven points and the chance of glory from a converted try.

This, after having turned down the simplest of penalty kicks from close range, straight in front of the uprights on half time, when trailing 9-3 and instead opting to take a tapped penalty through their forwards, pounding away at the visitors' line for what seemed like an age, before eventually losing the ball in contact just short of the whitewash. It was to prove the pivotal moment and from then there was no way back.

It must be said this was anything but Bude's first choice team, with virtually half the regular side missing for a variety of reasons and their coaches keen to have a look at the promising crop of youngsters coming through the junior ranks. However, they proved no match for the wily Servicemen, exemplified by inside centre Matt Anstis who kept the scoreboard ticking over with regularity, always doing just enough to keep the game out the reach of the home side.

In the opening minutes, as the sides tested out each other and also the referee, Anstis and Bude's inside centre Matt Trewin exchanged penalty kicks, both following offside offences, before Services's blindside flanker Bartlett departed to the bin for ten minutes, for throwing a punch at a maul in midfield.

However, the Seasiders couldn't take advantage of their numerical superiority and with the visitors restored to a full compliment, Anstis kicked his side back in front on 24 minutes, as the hosts were penalised for killing the ball at a ruck, before repeating the dose five minutes before the break for a similar offence. This time, it was Bude's turn to see yellow as flanker Thabo Mitchell earned the referee's displeasure and a spell on the touchline.

After screwing up their best scoring opportunity of the first half just short of the break, Bude were made to pay in spades three minutes into the second period.

From a line out, following a penalty kick to touch, the ball was quickly worked down the line and outside centre Carl Ranscombe put his left wing Morgan Andrews in at the corner for a well worked try. Anstis converted superbly from the touchline, to stretch his side's lead to 13 points and from then onwards, it was always an uphill struggle, especially after having lost of the services of experienced hooker Barry Lucas at the break with a leg injury.

Anstis slotted over a drop goal on 47 minutes to keep the scoreboard ticking over, before Services were again needlessly reduced to 14 men just before the hour mark as their hooker Geraghty was penalised for illegal use of the elbow.

Again, Bude couldn't take advantage and in the 74th minute Ranscombe was rewarded for his earlier good work, as he was put in wide out on the right, as Bude's defence was overrun and Services were home and hosed at 24-3.

The Seasiders did finally rally, with scrum half and skipper Steve Yates' quickly taken tapped penalty on 77 minutes catching the visitors' defence asleep and then fly half Paul Williams blasting through from close range, two minute into stoppage time, but it was too little and too late and at the final whistle, the home side could have few complaints, well beaten by a fast improving Services team that showed a far greater urgency and will to win on the day.

This Saturday Bude take to their travels once more, when their opponents will be relegation threatened Tavistock. With the Seasiders' away form this season anything but good and their hosts desperate for points, it promises to be another tough encounter.

Scorers — Bude: Steve Yates, Paul Williams (Tries), Matt Trewin (Penalty goal). Devonport Services: Morgan Andrews, Carl Ranscombe (Tries), Matt Anstis (Conversion, 3 Penalty goals and a Drop goal).

Bude: Olly Denford, Mark Dennis (Phil Horton), Darren Jasper, Matt Trewin, Blaine Wickett (Danny Rouser), Paul Williams, Steve Yates (Capt), Matt Williams, Barry Lucas (Gareth Walker), Paul Cholwill, Luke Dunkin, Mark Parsons, Thabo Mitchell, Lee Weston and Will Kingdon.

Referee: Mr Andy Waite (Bude – Devon RRS)

County Cup - With Wadebridge Camels already being named as Bude's opponents in the Semi-Final of the Skinners Brewery Cornwall Knockout Cup competition, the draw is now complete with St Ives entertaining Truro in the other tie, after they overcame Falmouth and St Austell respectively in the outstanding Second Round matches last weekend. The matches are to be played by Easter Monday April 5.