Saturday, March 10

Tribute Cornwall and Devon League

Bude 24

INSIDE-CENTRE Ed Hilliam-Cooke scored a hat-trick as Bude made it four consecutive wins in the Tribute Cornwall and Devon League by winning 24-15 at Tavistock.

After the previous game at home to Saltash was postponed due to the effects of the recent snow, Bude played against the slope and wind in the first-half and were happy to go in 7-5 up at the break despite not playing anywhere near to their potential and finding themselves pinned in their own half for the vast majority of it.

After scrum-half Jack Easton had put the home side ahead with a try in the corner, Bude responded with a try of their own as Hilliam-Cooke used his strength to muscle his way past his tackler and score from ten metres out. Olly Denford converted and Bude had somehow got into the break in front.

With the elements in their favour, the visitors knew that they could go after Tavistock and that’s exactly what they did.

Although they were still nowhere near their best, they utilised the strength of their set-piece to score from a driving maul from 25 metres out with Hilliam-Cooke, who had somehow got involved in the maul, being credited with the try.

Tavistock continued to fight away and got to within two points as second-row Tom Friend barged his way over from close range after a series of pick and gos from the forwards.

On the hour Bude moved into a seven-point lead as outside-centre Matt Trewin ran clear from just inside his own half before being tackled just a couple of metres from the line. However skipper Joe Wilson was in support and passed the ball to winger Rory Hodges for the simplest of tries.

Tavistock continued to put Bude under pressure but Hilliam-Cooke was again the man of the moment a few minutes later as after some disjoined play, he was allowed to pick the ball up some 25 metres out, find a gap and then jog in under the posts. This time Denford converted and Bude had got their try bonus point.

Tavistock did end the game with Easton scoring a second try, which was followed by a rather bizarre moment.

As the kicker went to slot over the easiest of conversions in front of the posts, the ball dribbled off the kicking tee, allowing Bude to rush out and pick up the ball.

Bude closed out the rest of the game without any alarms ahead of this Saturday’s long trip down to Penzance to take on Pirates Amateurs.

Player/coach,?Angus Hodges admitted that it wasn’t a great performance but was delighted with the win.

He said: “The lack of games recently has really impacted on us. We’re looking really lethargic and we’re struggling to get going and I’m hoping that between now and the end of the season we can get back on the training field and put in some decent performances between now and the end of the season.

“On Saturday the first-half was really hard work. We were playing uphill and the conditions underfoot weren’t great which meant that it was slow.

“We were in our own half for about 80% of the time so to be ahead at half-time considering was really good.

“We didn’t improve a great deal in the second-half either but we managed to score three more tries and get the win so to come away with the bonus point considering how we played is pretty pleasing.”

Bude —

Denford, R Hodges, Trewin, Hilliam-Cooke, Rakhshani, Watton, Wright; Jeffery, Mead, Bolt, Kingdon, Williams, A Hodges, T fry, Wilson (captain)

Replacements:?Cook, F Fry, Mounce

Tries: Hilliam-Cooke 3, R Hodges

Convs: Denford 2

Pens: N/A