Cornwall and Devon League

Honiton 10

Bude 33

Northcote Lane

BUDE are potentially just two wins away from clinching promotion to the Western Counties Division after victory over Honiton.

The long-time leaders may not have done enough yet to be sure of winning the division outright, but two clubs go up automatically from the division with no need for a play-off.

Only two teams can catch Bude now — St Ives and Withycombe — and Withies are so far behind it looks unlikely.

Withies need maximum points from their final eight games to deny Bude promotion, which is a tall order. Two wins or one more With- ycombe defeat and it is job done.

Bude powerhouse pack laid the platform in the first half as they created the chances for a 19-5 lead.

There wasn’t much Honi- ton could do in the second half, other than defend as best they could.

The ever-impressive Olly Denford and Kyle Speare scored two tries each for Bude, while Duncan Tout scored the fifth. Dan Pearce landed four conversions.

Ross Oaten was the Honiton try scorer.

This weekend, Bude could go one step closer to promotion when they welcome Bodmin to Bencoolen Meadow.

In what should be a fairly routine victory for the Bude men, Bodmin, currently sat just below mid-table, will be looking to cause an upset and go into the game on the back of 17-3 victory over Paignton.

The last time the two sides met was back at the end of November, when Bude ran in 31 points without reply.

Honiton — try: Oaten.

Bude — tries: Speare x2, Denford x2, Tout. Convs: Pearce x4.

• Any chance of Withycombe catching Bude took a rather large hit at the weekend when they went down 12-3 at home to Plymstock Oaks.

Withies are only one win away from Twickenham in the RFU National Vase and it could be adjudged that their minds were elsewhere on Saturday.

Player-coach Glenn Channing was certainly elsewhere — he was up in Sussex watching semi-final opponents Heathfield and Waldron play Aylesford in London South East Three.

This Saturday Withies are away to Plymouth Argaum in the first of their eight must-win Cornwall and Devon league matches.

Elsewhere, promotion hopefuls St Ives take on Pirates Amateurs at Somersham Road.