Devonport Services 34 Chew Valley 29
On their first visit to Rectory Field Chew Valley had a dream start when the Devonport Kick off was short and from the resulting scrum the ball wide to winger Harry Stride who chipped the defence and gathered the ball to score under the posts. Services hit back immediately with a score after Outside half Richard West ghosted through a gap and a good line from winger Corey Jameson created the try converted by West and it was level after 6 minutes. Services then had the ball for the next 15 minutes but could not profit. The visitors increased their lead with a Joe Webb try after a Bryan break supported by Matt Blacker in the row. After another of a series of inconsistent decisions a penalty to the corner led to a try for second row Andy Pond. West missed the kick and it stayed that way at the break. Jack Monk scored off a lineout . The high penalty count eventually benefitted winger Jameson for a try in the order.
A rare penalty for the visitors converted by Bryan stretched the lead briefly but Chew Valley were asleep at the restart and West scored try despite handling mishap only for centre Alex Mawdsley to hit the post with his shot. The game turned on 70 minutes when Blacker was binned for a ‘team offence' in the opposition 22 with the whistle being blown 5 metres from the Chew Valley line and the scrum awarded to Chew Valley! Tom Bryan then scored a wonder try from that scrum and converted but two late tries from No 8 Matt Gregory and fullback Kyle Brown right at the death gave Services a 5 pointer they might have considered fortunate.