Saturday, October 26

Tribute Cornwall/Devon League

Bude 22

Plymstock Albion Oaks 6

BUDE bounced back from their recent blip to defeat previous leaders Plymstock Albion Oaks at a wet Bencoolen Meadow.

The North Cornwall side had lost four of their last five games including an agonising 19-17 loss to Paignton on home soil and a 30-5 defeat at Pirates Amateurs seven days previously, which also doubled up as a Cornwall Cup tie.

However, boosted by a full-strength team besides the absence of player/coach Angus Hodges, the hosts put in a tenacious performance, particularly in the second-half to see off their Devon visitors.

Hodges made four changes to the starting 15 from the trip to Pirates with Jason Bolt and Tremaine Fry recalled to the pack while Charlie Watton and Ed Hilliam-Cooke came into the backline.

Plymstock had lost just once in their opening seven games and they took the lead in the fourth minute as fly-half Tom Richards slotted over a penalty from 35 metres after the hosts were penalised for not driving straight at a scrum.

Richards doubled the lead in the 19th minute with a penalty from 25 metres and the large home crowd needed something to shout about.

As often is the case, Joe Wilson, back in his favoured position at number eight, was to the fore when it came on 26 minutes.

The Oaks had a scrum 20 metres from their own line which Bude managed to turnover. Wilson picked the ball off the base before running down the left-hand side and playing in winger Ryan Butler for an easy finish. Skipper Olly Denford converted the kick to make it 7-6.

The rest of the half was played out with both sides showing plenty of spirit, but no points were forthcoming.

However within 60 seconds of the restart Bude went further in front. The kick-off was sent deep into the Plymstock half. They dropped the ball which allowed the hosts to use their forwards for a couple of phases before spreading the ball out wide to right-winger Rory Hodges, who ran in from 15 metres on the overlap.

Knowing the Devonians are top of the league, Denford decided to kick at goal when a penalty was awarded on 48 minutes. The full-back slotted it from 30 metres to take the score to 15-6.

Bude were well on top and grabbed their third try on 56 minutes. Bude counter-rucked close to the Plymstock ten-metre line allowing Hodges to pick the ball up, break a couple of tackles to score in the corner.

The rest of the game was a messy, scrappy stop-start affair which although not pretty to watch, suited the hosts.

Bude replacement James Comber was sin-binned after accidentally making contact with an opponent’s head in a ruck, while Plymstock prop Nathan Akers suffered the same fate for a deliberate knock-on.

But in the end, the score stayed at 22-6 with the hosts relieved to go into their week off on a positive note.

Hodges was delighted with his side’s response.

He said: “We had a lot of wrongs to put right as we had for the last couple of weeks, so it was nice to get back on track and play the type of rugby we know we can.

“The biggest change from the lads was that we had our will and passion back. That lifted the motivation of the team, and it was a pleasure to see again.

“They kicked two penalties, but other than that we sort of dominated them quite convincingly in the end.

“They didn’t look like scoring which is a credit to the hard work that the boys put in to push them out of the game.”

Hodges believes that although having a number of key players back helped, the determination to win was the catalyst.

“I think having people back helped psychologically more than anything else. You could tell how much more people were up for it.

“Also being at home against the number one team (going into the fixture) in the league fired everyone up a bit. All the boys were chuffed with the win. It was miles better than the last couple of weeks.

“It wasn’t a particularly flashy performance or anything, but they did everything with more intensity and it showed.”

Hodges had high praise for his wingers, brother Rory and Ryan Butler, and the Fry brothers, Tremaine and Finley.

Hodges said: “Rory was voted man-of-the-match. He scored two tries and generally played really well, as did Ryan who was also pretty devastating.

“Both the Fry’s worked really hard around the park and made lots of good carries. But overall it was really good to see everyone put their hands up.”

Bude seconds’ home clash with their Saltash counterparts, which was scheduled to take place on the second team pitch at Bencoolen Meadow, was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Bude —

Denford, R Hodges, Bettington, Hilliam-Cooke, Butler, Watton, Mounce; Williams, Bolt, Allin, Kingdon, Troke, T Fry, F Fry, Wilson.

Replacements: Comber, Innes, Goodenough.

Tries: Butler, R Hodges 2.

Convs: Denford 2.

Pens: Denford.

Bude’s man-of-the-match: Rory Hodges.